Herbert Spencer
Biographic Data
| ID | 3744835 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Herbert Spencer |
| GIVEN NAMES | Herbert |
| FAMILY NAME | Spencer |
| SIGNATURE | SPENCER H |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Ulster |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 47 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 183 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 47 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1855 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
The Principles of Psychology
Principles of Sociology
Herbert Spencer sought to unify all of the sciences and ethics under a common set of theoretical principles loosely derived from the physics of his time and outlined in First Principles (1862). Principles of was a later work in Spencer's grand scheme, with the first installments appearing in 1874 and continuing until 1896. re-issue of the complete volumes of this great work will stimulate renewed interest in Spencer's sociology, not just as an hi…
Difficulties of the Social Science.
From the intrinsic natures of its facts, from the people own natures as observers of its facts, and from the peculiar relation in which the people stand towards the facts to be observed, there arise impediments in the way of Sociology greater than those in the way of any other science. The characters of men as observers, add to this first difficulty a second that is perhaps equally great. For correct observation and correct drawing of inferences,…
Is There a Social Science?
In addition to that passive denial of a Social Science implied by these two allied doctrines, one or other of which is held by nine men out of ten, there comes from some an active denial of it-either entire or partial. There is an implicit recognition of that Social Science which is explicitly denied. Whoever expresses political opinions-whoever asserts that such or such public arrangements will be beneficial or detrimental, tacitly expresses bel…
Our Need of IT.
At the farmer’s market-table; his master makes the glasses jingle as, with his fist, he emphasizes the assertion that he did not get half enough compensation for his slaughtered beasts during the cattle-plague. Minds in which the conceptions of social actions are thus rudimentary, are also minds ready to harbour wild hopes of benefits to be achieved by administrative agencies. Minds left ignorant of physical causation, are unlikely to appreciate …
The Theological Bias.
Speaking generally each system of dogmatic theology, with the sentiments that gather round it, becomes an impediment in the way of Social Science. The sympathies drawn out towards one creed and the correlative antipathies aroused by other creeds, distort the interpretations of all the associated facts. Under its special forms, as well as under its general form, the theological bias brings errors into the estimates men make of societies and instit…
Subjective Difficulties—Emotional.
That passion perverts judgment, is an observation sufficiently trite; but the more general observation of which it should form part, that emotion of every kind and degree disturbs the intellectual balance, is not trite, and even where recognized, is not duly taken into account. Stated in full, the truth is that no propositions, save those which are absolutely indifferent to us, immediately and remotely, can be contemplated without likings and rep…
The Class-Bias.
The class-bias, like the bias of patriotism, is a reflex egoism; and like it has its uses and abuses. The egoism of individuals leads to an egoism of the class they form; and besides the separate efforts, generates a joint effort to get an undue share of the aggregate proceeds of social activity. In larger ways people have of late seen the class-bias doing the same thing—causing contempt for those principles of constitutional government slowly an…
Preparation in Psychology.
Probably astonishment would make the reporters drop their pencils, were any member of Parliament to enunciate a psychological principle as justifying his opposition to a proposed measure. Not very hopeful proposals, one would say; proceeding, as they do, upon one or other of the beliefs, that a moral precept will be effective in proportion as it is received without emotional accompaniment, and that its effectiveness will increase in proportion to…
The Political Bias.
Evert day brings events that show the politician what the events of the next day are likely to be, while they serve also as materials for the student of Social Science. Joining with the prevalent fallacy that results are proportionate to appliances, the general political bias has the further effect of fostering an undue faith in political forms. A state of things under which men administer justice in their own cases, are applauded for so doing, a…
The Educational Bias.
It would clear up our ideas about many things, if we distinctly recognized the truth that we have two religions. Primitive humanity has but one. The humanity of the remote future will have but one. The two are opposed; and we who live midway in the course of civilization have to believe in both. These two religions are adapted to two conflicting sets of social requirements. The one set is supreme at the beginning; the other set will be supreme at…
Nature of the Social Science.
The dockyard-labourer, piling cannon-shot, is totally unable to make these spherical masses stand at all as the bricks stand. Ignoring for the moment the special traits of races and individuals, observe the traits common to members of the species at large; and consider how these must affect their relations when associated. The science of Mechanics has reached a development higher than has been reached by any but the purely-abstract sciences. If f…
Subjective Difficulties—Intellectual.
The conception which any one frames of another’s mind, is inevitably more or less after the pattern of his own mind—is automorphic; and in proportion as the mind of which he has to frame a conception differs from his own, his automorphic interpretation is likely to be wide of the truth. The laws of intellectual action are the same for civilized and uncivilized. The difference between civilized and uncivilized is in complexity of faculty and in am…
Objective Difficulties.
Last year advertisements announced the “Two-headed Nightingale,” and the walls of London were placarded with a figure in which one pair of shoulders was shown to bear two heads looking the same way. As witnesses to social phenomena, men thus impressed by facts which did not before impress them, become perverters of evidence. In generations not long passed away, sobriety was the exception rather than the rule: a man who had never been drunk was a …
The Bias of Patriotism.
Patriotism is nationally that which egoism is individually—has, in fact, the same root; and along with kindred benefits brings kindred evils. Estimation of one’s society is a reflex of self-estimation; and assertion of one’s society’s claims is an indirect assertion of one’s own claims as a part of it. For while excess of egoism is everywhere regarded as a fault, excess of patriotism is nowhere regarded as a fault. A man who recognizes his own er…
Preparation in Biology.
M. Comte placed Biology before Sociology in his classification of the sciences. Biological preparation for sociological study, he regarded as needful not only because the phenomena of corporate life, arising out of the phenomena of individual life, can be rightly co-ordinated only after the phenomena of individual life have been rightly co-ordinated; but also because the methods of inquiry which Biology uses, are methods to be used by Sociology. …
Discipline.
Each kind of mental discipline, besides its direct effects on the faculties brought into play, has its indirect effects on the faculties left out of play; and when special benefit is gained by extreme special discipline, there is inevitably more or less general mischief entailed on the rest of the mind by the consequent want of discipline. Entire absence of training in the Abstract Sciences, leaves the mind without due sense of necessity of relat…
Conclusion
Using the analogy supplied by a human life, people saw that just as the bodily development and structure and function, furnish subject-matter for the biological science, though the events set forth by the biographer go beyond its range; so, the social growth, and the rise of structures and functions accompanying it, furnish subject-matter for a Science of Society, though the facts with which historians fill their pages mostly yield no material fo…
An Introduction to the Philosophy of Herbert Spencer: Collected Writings
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was regarded by the Victorians as the foremost philosopher of the age, the prophet of evolution at a time when the idea had gripped the popular imagination. Until recently Spencer's posthumous reputation rested almost excusively on his social and political thought, which has itself frequently been subject to serious misrepresentation. But historians of ideas now recognise that an acquaintance with Spencer's thought is …
Herbert Spencer: Contemporary Assessments
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was regarded by the Victorians as the foremost philosopher of the age, the prophet of evolution at a time when the idea had gripped the popular imagination. Until recently Spencer's posthumous reputation rested almost excusively on his social and political thought, which has itself frequently been subject to serious misrepresentation. But historians of ideas now recognise that an acquaintance with Spencer's thought is …
Reasons for Dissenting from the Philosophy of M. Comte
Essays: Scientific, Political and Speculative
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was regarded by the Victorians as the foremost philosopher of the age, the prophet of evolution at a time when the idea had gripped the popular imagination. Until recently Spencer's posthumous reputation rested almost excusively on his social and political thought, which has itself frequently been subject to serious misrepresentation. But historians of ideas now recognise that an acquaintance with Spencer's thought is …
Essays: Scientific, Political and Speculative
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was regarded by the Victorians as the foremost philosopher of the age, the prophet of evolution at a time when the idea had gripped the popular imagination. Until recently Spencer's posthumous reputation rested almost excusively on his social and political thought, which has itself frequently been subject to serious misrepresentation. But historians of ideas now recognise that an acquaintance with Spencer's thought is …
The Study of Sociology: Collected Writings
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was regarded by the Victorians as the foremost philosopher of the age, the prophet of evolution at a time when the idea had gripped the popular imagination. Until recently Spencer's posthumous reputation rested almost excusively on his social and political thought, which has itself frequently been subject to serious misrepresentation. But historians of ideas now recognise that an acquaintance with Spencer's thought is …
ZWEITES Kapitel. Wegbereiter der Soziologie im 19. Jahrhundert
Principles of Sociology
Herbert Spencer sought to unify all of the sciences and ethics under a common set of theoretical principles loosely derived from the physics of his time and outlined in First Principles (1862). Principles of was a later work in Spencer's grand scheme, with the first installments appearing in 1874 and continuing until 1896. re-issue of the complete volumes of this great work will stimulate renewed interest in Spencer's sociology, not just as an hi…
The Study of Sociology: Collected Writings
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was regarded by the Victorians as the foremost philosopher of the age, the prophet of evolution at a time when the idea had gripped the popular imagination. Until recently Spencer's posthumous reputation rested almost excusively on his social and political thought, which has itself frequently been subject to serious misrepresentation. But historians of ideas now recognise that an acquaintance with Spencer's thought is …
Social statics, abridged and revised; together with The man versus the state
The Man Versus the State, with Four Essays on Politics and Society
The Comparative Psychology of Man
Qué es una sociedad? Una sociedad es un organismo
Getting It Wrong from the Beginning
Illustrations of universal progress: A series of discussions
The principles of psychology.
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was regarded by the Victorians as the foremost philosopher of the age, the prophet of evolution at a time when the idea had gripped the popular imagination. Until recently Spencer's posthumous reputation rested almost excusively on his social and political thought, which has itself frequently been subject to serious misrepresentation. But historians of ideas now recognise that an acquaintance with Spencer's thought is …
Illustrations of universal progress: A series of discussions
The Comparative Psychology of Man
The principles of sociology, Vol 1.
Justice: Being Part IV of the Principles of Ethics
Social statics, abridged and revised; together with The man versus the state
The Principles of Ethics
Negative Beneficence and Positive Beneficence
The Principles of Ethics
Facts and Comments
Spencer's Horrid Vision
Study of Sociology
The Study of Sociology by Herbert Spencer, introduced by Talcott Parsons, explores the evolution of sociology as an academic discipline. Spencer's pioneering ideas — viewing society as a self-regulating system, understanding functional differentiation, and emphasizing social evolution — remain significant. This republication highlights how Spencer's insights into societal biases and knowledge sociology still contribute to modern sociological thou…
The Evolution of Society: Selections from … Principles of Sociology
Le préjugé théologique
Spencer Herbert. Le préjugé théologique. In: Archives de sociologie des religions, n°27, 1969. pp. 37-50
The Man Versus the State, with Four Essays on Politics and Society
Herbert Spencer on Parental Responsibility
The English philosopher and sociologist Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) has achievedfame andfar reaching intellectual influence through his voluminous writings about social and biological change, ethics, and political theory. In the second half of the 19th century, Spencer's writings, along with the works of Charles Darwin and Thomas Huxley, made the major contribution to the acceptance of the theory of evolution by a wide public. Coiner of the phras…
The Man Versus the State: With Six Essays on Government, Society, and Freedom
This volume contains the four essays that Spencer published as Man Versus the State in 1884 as well as five essays added by later publishers. In addition, it provides The Proper Sphere of Government, an important early essay by Spencer. Spencer develops various specific disastrous ramifications of the wholesale substitution of the principle of compulsory co-operation -- the statist principle -- for the individualist principle of voluntary co-oper…
Political Writings: Political Writings
This book places Spencer's famous argument for political individualism in his The Man versus the State alongside his early The Proper Sphere of Government, out of which, after due gestation, emerged not only The Man versus the State but also Social Status and his all-embracing theory of evolution. Both are valuable as unyielding statements of anti-state political theory and as sources of perceptive comments on political events of the times. An in…
Getting It Wrong from the Beginning
Qué es una sociedad? Una sociedad es un organismo
First Principles
In 1862, the British philosopher Herbert Spencer (1820–1903) published this preamble to a planned series of publications on biology, psychology, sociology and morality. In it, he states that religion and science can be reconciled by their shared belief in an Absolute, and that ultimate principles can be discerned in all manifestations of the Absolute, particularly the general laws of nature being discovered by science. Spencer divides his text in…
The Proper Sphere of Government
Things of the first importance – principles influencing all the transactions of a country – principles involving the weal or woe of nations, are very generally taken for granted by society. When a certain line of conduct, however questionable may be its policy – however momentous may be its good or evil results, has been followed by our ancestors, it usually happens that the great masses of mankind continue the same course of action, without ever…
ZWEITES Kapitel. Wegbereiter der Soziologie im 19. Jahrhundert
Difficulties of the Social Science.
From the intrinsic natures of its facts, from the people own natures as observers of its facts, and from the peculiar relation in which the people stand towards the facts to be observed, there arise impediments in the way of Sociology greater than those in the way of any other science. The characters of men as observers, add to this first difficulty a second that is perhaps equally great. For correct observation and correct drawing of inferences,…
Is There a Social Science?
In addition to that passive denial of a Social Science implied by these two allied doctrines, one or other of which is held by nine men out of ten, there comes from some an active denial of it-either entire or partial. There is an implicit recognition of that Social Science which is explicitly denied. Whoever expresses political opinions-whoever asserts that such or such public arrangements will be beneficial or detrimental, tacitly expresses bel…
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