Herbert Spencer

Known for

Organic analogy of society, social Darwinism, "survival of the fittest"

Thought

Spencer compared society to a biological organism, with institutions such as the family, economy and government acting like organs that each perform a specialized function to keep the social body alive and functioning as a whole. He extended evolutionary ideas of natural selection to society itself — "social Darwinism" — arguing that simpler societies naturally evolve into more complex ones through an ongoing struggle for survival.

Biography

English philosopher and polymath, a central figure in 19th-century social theory, who coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" before Darwin's own writings used it.

CSS Philosophy paper topics

Major works

• The Principles of Sociology
• Social Statics