Herbert Spencer: Biography and Work
5 minutes
Herbert Spencer is the father of social Darwinism. Learn more about the life and work of this controversial author in this article!
Last update: 29 June,
Herbert Spencer was one of the biggest thinkers of his time. This English philosopher, psychologist, sociologist, and natural law expert was the greatest leader of social Darwinism and positivism of his time.
In fact, he applied evolutionist laws to philosophy and society. But his Darwinian ideas justified the dominance of certain people over the rest, as well as the supremacy of one human race over the other races.
These ideas were well-received in the Western world during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. His work’s success proves it. Spencer even managed to catch the attention of many thinkers from very different areas.
Some authors were open to debating his ideas. Big names such as Émile Durkheim, George Edward Moore, or Thomas Hill Green were frequently associated with Spencer. Without a doubt, he was a very prolific and controversial figure.
Biography of Herbert Spencer
First years and education
Herbert Spencer was born
Herbert Spencer by Miss A. Grant. [Click on thumbnail for larger picture.
A Victorian biologist and philosopher, Herbert Spencer was born April 27th, , at the height of British industrialism. He was educated at home in mathematics, natural science, history and English, among some other languages. Spencer was sickly in his youth, all eight of his other siblings dying at a young age. His constitution remained weak throughout his life, and he would later suffer from nervous breakdowns which he never recovered from, and he wandered about London never in a complete state of good health. He suffered from chronic insomnia, could only work a few hours a day, and used fairly substantial amounts of opium. He experienced a strange sensation in his head which he called "the mischief", and was known for eccentricities like the wearing of ear-plugs to avoid over-excitement, especially when he could not hold his ground in an argument. He obtained a job as a civil engineer on the railways at sixteen and wrote during his spare time. This vocation of his took up ten years of his life, and imbued him with a healthy optimism for life and society.
Spencer became the sub-editor of Th
Herbert Spencer (—)
British philosopher and sociologist, Herbert Spencer was a major figure in the intellectual life of the Victorian era. He was one of the principal proponents of evolutionary theory in the mid nineteenth century, and his reputation at the time rivaled that of Charles Darwin. Spencer was initially best known for developing and applying evolutionary theory to philosophy, psychology and the study of society &#; what he called his &#;synthetic philosophy&#; (see his A System of Synthetic Philosophy, ). Today, however, he is usually remembered in philosophical circles for his political thought, primarily for his defense of natural rights and for criticisms of utilitarian positivism, and his views have been invoked by &#;libertarian&#; thinkers such as Robert Nozick.
Table of Contents
- Life
- Method
- Human Nature
- Religion
- Moral Philosophy
- Political Philosophy
- Assessment
- References and Further Reading
- Primary Sources
- Secondary Sources
1. Life
Spencer was born in Derby, England on 27 April , the eldest of nine children, but the only one to survive infancy. He was the product of an undisciplined, largely informal education. His father, G
Spencer, Herbert
WORKS BY SPENCER
SUPPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY
Herbert Spencer (), the English philosopher-scientist, was a leading figure in the intellectual revolution of the nineteenth century. Although largely ignored today, Spencer in his own time was enormously influential and played a significant role in the development of biology, psychology, sociology, and anthropology.
He dealt with the evolution of phenomena of all classes, from the inorganic to the superorganic. For the various social sciences, the primary significance of Spencer is that he was among the first to affirm that human society can be studied scientifically and to do so from an evolutionary point of view. With E. B. Tylor and Lewis H. Morgan, Spencer ranks among the three great cultural evolutionists of the nineteenth century.
Spencer was born in Derby in the English Midlands. He came from a family of staunch Dissenters, and the influence of this background is evident in his writings on ethics and political theory. He was educated at home by his father and later by an uncle who wanted him to attend Cambridge. Spencer declined, however, feeling himself unfit for a university career.
From an early age S
Biographies you may also like
Margaret mead anthropologist biography of barack obama Margaret Mead, the most prominent and recognized anthropologist of the 20th century, had a profound influence on anthropology and feminism. She achieved celebrity status and became .
Toru kitajima biography of barack obama Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, was born on August 4, , in Honolulu, Hawaii [1] to Barack Obama, Sr. (–) (born in Oriang' Kogelo of Rachuonyo North .
Larisa dolina biography Baku, 10 settembre [1]) è una cantante, attrice e insegnante di musica russa, già sovietica di origine ebraica. Artista del popolo della Federazione Russa (), è stata per tre volte .
Paul g oxborough biography of william shakespeare Paul Oxborough is an American artist who was born in Numerous key galleries and museums such as Cavalier Gallery, New York (24th Str) have featured Paul Oxborough's work .
Elfina luk biography channel See Elfina Luk full list of movies and tv shows from their career. Find where to watch Elfina Luk's latest movies and tv shows.
Tuesday weld biography imdb downton Tuesday Weld (born August 27, ) is an American actress. Weld began her acting career as a child, and progressed to more mature roles during the late s. She won a Golden Globe Missing: downton.