The following is his entry from Microsoft's "Encarta" on line encyclopedia:
Spencer, Herbert (1820_), British social philosopher, often regarded as one of the first sociologists. Born in Derby, England, Spencer was mainly self His early influences included the utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham and an early theory of evolution developed by the French naturalist Jean Baptiste Lamarck. In 1850 Spencer published Social Statics, a work in which he stressed the importance of individual freedom and the inevitability of human progress. In Principles of Psychology (1855) Spencer wrote that all organic matter originates in a unified state and that individual characteristics gradually develop through evolution. The evolutionary progression from simple to more complex and diverse states was an important theme in most of Spencer's later works. In A System of Synthetic Philosophy (1860) Spencer outlined a plan for a comprehensive system of philosophy, based on evolution, that would embrace and integrate all existing fields of knowledge. The initial installment in this project, First Principles, appeared in 1862. Later works in the series include Principles of Biology (2 volumes, 1864_), Principles of Sociology (3 volumes, 1876_), and Principles of Ethics (2 volumes, 1892_). After Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859, Spencer embraced Darwin's theory of natural selection. Spencer was an influential proponent of social Darwinism, an application of Darwin's theory to human societies. The theory of natural selection holds that only the most wellindividuals in a population will survive and reproduce. Because these successful individuals pass on their adaptive advantage to their offspring, the cumulative effect of this process over many generations is the adaptation of the entire population to its environment. Spencer coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" to describe the competition among human individuals and groups. He argued that human progress resulted from the triumph of more advanced individuals and cultures over their inferior competitors. Wealth and power were seen as signs of inherent "fitness," while poverty was taken as evidence of natural inferiority. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, social Darwinism was used to argue for unrestrained economic competition and against aid to the "unfit" poor. The theory was also used to justify racist and imperialist policies in Europe and the United States. When social Darwinist ideas fell from favor in the early 20th century, Spencer's reputation as a philosopher and social theorist declined. Nonetheless, his ambitious attempt to systematize all knowledge within the framework of modern science, and especially in terms of evolution, earned him a place among the notable thinkers of the late 19th century. Other works by Spencer include The Man Versus the Stat(1884) and Essays: Scientific, Political, and Speculative (3 volumes, 1891).
AC Smith <ymacs@email.msn.com>
Hi all,
Someone once wrote me that the quote can be found in Spencer's Principles of Biology. However, it is a 2 volume set and unless someone is willing to either read both books or scan it and do a word search, I'm not sure where it can be found.
Mitchell K.<how_it_worked@excite.com>
In aahistorybuffs@egroups.com, Charles Knapp <charles@a...> wrote: Hello Group, I could never pinpoint where this quote came from either. Spencer wrote several books on principles and I never found which book it came from. This quote appeared in the 1st Edition Big Book in the story "An Artist Concept". This story was written by the member who designed the circus dust jacket of the 1st edition Big Book. Then appeared in the 2nd edition at the end of appendix II and has ever since.
Charles Knapp
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, 1862_3). 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.
web site of eztone@hotmail.com http://www.aabibliography.com/
Herbert Spencer quote, page 570 of Big Book
The Big Book quote by Herbert Spencer which is now on page
570 was at first included in a story by Ray C. (Campbell?)
entitled: "An Artist's Concept."
It was on page 380 of all 16 printings of the First Edition
with that story. Ray's story was not included in the Second
Edition of the Big Book but the quote was saved in the back
of our book in the Appendix: "Spiritual Experience."
Herbert Spencer
Date: 07 Aug 2000
From: "Mitchell K." <how_it_worked@excite.com>
To: aahistorybuffs@egroups.com
Hi all,
Someone once wrote me that the quote can be found in Spencer's
Principles of Biology. However, it is a 2 volume set and unless
someone is willing to either read both books or scan it and do a
word search, I'm not sure where it can be found.Ray C. was a recognized artist who lived somewhere near Lake Carmel or Carmel, NY. He designed the dust jackets for the 1st edition (proposed and actual).
Mitchell K.
In aahistorybuffs@egroups.com, Charles Knapp <charles@a...> wrote: Hello Group I could never pinpoint where this quote came from either. Spencer wrote several books on principles and I never found which book it came from. This quote appeared in the 1st Edition Big Book in the story "An Artist Concept". This
story was written by the member who designed the circus dust jacket of the 1st edition Big Book. Then appeared in the 2nd edition at the end of appendix II and has ever since.
Charles Knapp
California
Ed M wrote:
Looking for the source document of Herbert Spencers quote on page 570 not the story in which it appeared.
The Big Book quote by Herbert Spencer which is now on page 570 was at first included in a story by Ray C. (Campbell?) entitled: "An Artist's Concept." It was on page 380 of all 16 printings of the First Edition with that story. Ray's story was not included in the Second Edition of the Big Book but the quote was saved in the back of our book in the Appendix: "Spiritual Experience."