Robert Knox, (4 September 1791 – 20 December 1862) was a Scottish anatomist, zoologist, ethnologist and doctor. He was the most popular lecturer on anatomy in Britain, where he introduced the theory of transcendental anatomy, but is now best known for his involvement in the Burke and Hare murders. Difficulty in obtaining cadavers for dissection after the passage of the Anatomy Act and disagreements with professional colleagues ruined his career, and a move to London did not improve matters. His later pessimistic view of humanity contrasted sharply with his youthful attachment to the ideas of Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.