Historical Who is Who
SPENCER, Herbert
1820 - 1903
United Kingdom
PHILOSOPHY, SOCIAL SCIENCE
Though writing independently of the biologist Darwin, Herbert Spencer is rightly regarded as a ‘Social Darwinian’ in that he set out in an influential series of books a universal theory regarding the evolution of society and ethics. ‘Survival of the fittest’ legitimises the emergent domination of one grouping over another/others. Moral education builds on learning from past mistakes; the astute adult and teacher must take responsibility for managing this process.