Social Darwinism: Herbert Spencer and The Catholic Church Essay

Social Darwinism began in the late 19th century and early 20th century during the time of The Gilded Age and earlier. Herbert Spencer was a 19th century philosopher and he promoted the idea of Social Darwinism. It basically followed the principle that only the strong would survive and prosper. While this period the technology and economy and government of the

In the late 1900, Charlie’s Darwin published his theory of evolution, later leading to the beginning of Atheism. Atheism spread rapidly through the states because it opposed religion. Although many religions still exist today, the Western

Herbert Spencer was one of the lead role models and inspirations in the creation of Darwinism. Born April 27th 1820, Spencer spent his childhood living in Derby, Great Britain. His infantile life was depressing, growing up with his uncles who tortured him behind the curtains for 7 years straight. Despite this, the leader philosopher went on to develop ideas and challenged the ideology behind imperialism. Being the creator of the phrase, “survival of the fittest” Herbert weaved his way into Darwin’s work being credited for everything. This increased his fame and popularity receiving many followers of his theories. Spencer criticized man theories and tactics used by the government putting holt to imperialism.

Social Darwinism is a quasi-philosophical, quasi-religious, quasi-sociological view that came from the mind of Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher in the 19th century. It did not achieve wide acceptance in England or Europe, but flourished in this country, as is true of many ideologies, religions, and philosophies. A good summary of Social Darwinism is by Johnson:

Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, became a highly influential yet controversial figure in the late nineteenth century European society. Darwin introduced the idea of evolution through natural selection which demonstrated how species evolved into humans. Although Darwin’s theory was influential, it opposed many ideas of the European society at the time. Darwin’s ideologies challenged the beliefs of the European culture because it went against the religious teachings of the church that emphasized God as the creator of man and contradicted the European belief that the white race was superior. Darwin’s opposing views of evolution changed the definition of what it meant to be “civilized” in the European society.

Social Darwinism is a belief, popular in the late Victorian era in England, America, and elsewhere, which states that the strongest or fittest should survive and flourish in society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to die. The theory was chiefly expounded by Herbert Spencer, whose ethical philosophies always held an elitist view and received a boost from the application of Darwinian ideas such as adaptation and natural selection. Spencer and Social Darwinism Herbert Spencer, the father of Social Darwinism as an ethical theory, was thinking in terms of elitist, "might makes right" sorts of views long before Darwin published his theory. However, Spencer quickly adapted Darwinian ideas to his own ethical theories. The concept of adaptation

All through history, especially the past two hundred years, different theories have tried to determine our existence and they continually have changed depending on the group creating it or researching it. The one thing that has changed is the Holy Bible, God’s written word with our complete history in it. Reading it we come to understand our existence and purpose. With that we also become aware of our gift we receive from God and that is freewill, and with freewill it gives us the option to choose what we want to believe in. Although through history there have been many individuals who have made discoveries in science which has pushed the boundaries of human thought, reasoning, and belief about the big question, “How did humans come into existence?” No matter what different theories have been made through the centuries the truth still remains the same, we were created by God in His image to go and spread the gospel. The more we attempt to spread the gospel, the more resistance and push back we get from non-believers. With the different groups, the biggest resistance we have gotten is from the followers and believers of theorist Charles Darwin and his work with the theory of evolution.

Social theorist Herbert Spencer, a contemporary to Darwin, was one of the most vocal proponents of Social Darwinism. Coining the term “Survival of the Fittest”, he proposed that there existed a natural order to society, where the strong- be it on an

Herbert Spencer was an English philosopher and sociologist in the Victorian era. Spencer is a structural- functionalism theorist. He developed an extensive conception of evolution as the liberal development of the physical world, biological organisms, the human mind, and human culture and societies.

In the 19th century, scientific research progressed rapidly outside the world of industry and technology (McKay 744). British scientist, Charles Darwin, was the most influential nineteenth-century evolutionary thinker. Darwin spent his early career, amassing enormous amounts of biological and geological data from his voyage to South America (Fiero 3). In 1859, he published his classic work, The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, where he summarizes his theory of evolution with the thought of struggle for survival, or natural selection. Furthermore, natural selection is the idea of groups of species surviving through generations by adapting to changes in the environment and using certain characteristics as an advantage. In addition, natural selection challenged traditional ideas about nature and world order, and it was also taken steps further by many thinkers. English philosopher, Herbert Spencer, saw the human race driven forward to ever-greater specialization and progress by a brutal economic struggle that determined the “survival of the fittest” (McKay 745). The notion of a body of thought drawn from the ideas of Charles Darwin that applied the theory of biological evolution to human affairs and saw the human race as driven by an un-ending economic struggle that would determine the survival of the fittest defines Social Darwinism (McKay 745). As European and American upper class sought to extend political and economic power, Social Darwinism proved to

Advocated for by English philospher, sociologist, and prominent classical liberal political theorist, Herbert Spencer, Social Darwinism is essentially the theory that individuals and groups of people are subject to the same Darwinian laws of natural selection as plants and animals, that their struggle for existence is ultimately a competition that results in a "survival of the fittest” scenario. American sociologist, economist, William Sumner along with renowned British psychiatrist, Dr. Henry Maudsley, were both prolific proponents of Social Darwinism and argued that their evidence in support of Social Darwinism were scientific and that Social Darwinism as a theory itself, was science. In his essay The Challenge of Facts, Sumner argues that

Charles Darwin was an intelligent scientist back in the late 19th century. He was incredibly witty, with a specialty in biology. On the other hand, one occurring issue relating to Darwin, was that many took his scientific findings into social account. Social Darwinism was the result of this interpretation.

Social Darwinism came to popularity in 1859 when Charles Darwin, a British naturalist, published his book called On the Origin of Species about his theory of “Darwinism”. This theory was very popular between the years 1870-1890; it spanned until the early 1900s (around 1910). Social Darwinism is any conviction or hypothesis that endeavors to clarify human culture as far as regular determination specifies the hypothesis that people, ethnic gatherings, and so on make progress or predominance as a result of inborn hereditary prevalence and a resultant upper hand. The hypothesis of Social Darwinism said that the people who were feeble were getting smaller in quantity as the more solid people developed in power. Herbert Spencer, a British philosopher and sociologist, acquired Darwin’s theory of evolution and twisted the idea around to make his idea of “survival of the fittest” connect with Darwin’s theory. Spencer said: “The wealthy and powerful were the ‘fittest,’ people endowed with innate intelligence, strength, and the adaptability that enabled them to succeed in the competitive world of business” (Visions of America).

There are certain beliefs that bind us in a society. In Social Darwinism whether it be magic, theology, or positivism each are similar in their pursuit of the uncertain to make it certain. It would be interesting to see the reaction of thinkers such as Tylor and Frazer that science did not supplant religion or magic. The term magic and its different translations and beliefs in each culture show that magic is still very much alive and intertwined in society as a whole and provides community to bring people from all facets of society to bring us closer together; that is a quality that will make religion/magic last. Tylor is right to say that there is a psychic unity between us all despite where we come from and who we grow up to be we are all

“ The strong survive and those best suited to survival will outlive the weak.” Social Darwinism applies the evolutionary concept of natural selection to human society. In the 19th century, philosopher Herbert Spencer introduced the idea of Social Darwinism. It applies to the theory of natural selection to social, political and economic issues. In its simplest form, Social Darwinism follows the mantra that “ the strong survive.”