Subjects:
theory of evolution through the process of natural selection. Herbert Spencer
was the major philosopher of biological and social evolution. Spencer's work
significantly influenced 19th century developments in biology, psychology,
sociology and anthropology. While Darwin was influential in the fields of
natural history and geology, his theory of evolution created great controversy.
He changed the way people thought about the role of humans in the natural world.
Although these two men made advancement in the theory of evolution they had
contrasting views regarding anthropological study.
Charles Darwin was an English naturalist who first solidly established
the theory of organic evolution, in his work, The Origin of Species. Darwin was
born in Shresbury, Shropshire on February 12, 1809. His grandfather, Erasmus
Darwin, was a famous English scientist and poet. In 1825 the young Darwin went
to Edinburgh University to become a doctor. The same year, however, he
transferred to Christ's College in Cambridge in order to become a clergyman.
During this time he befriended a man of science, John Steven Henslow. It was
. . .
not been discounted. Both men's writings and theories became greatly controversial, but
greatly influenced future scientists. He moved to Downe, Kent in 1842, and was plagued
by ill health until his death. Believing in this
gave religious support to the liberal principle of variety.
Darwin set sail on December 27, 1831 to study the Pacific coast of South
America and the Pacific Islands. The major difference between the two is that
everything happens for one thing. Darwin died on April 19, 1882 and was buried
in Westminster Abbey.
Spencer's attempt to combine the sciences has never been repeated.
Darwin and Spencer made great advancements in the study of evolution. ” Lastly, the struggle for
existence “determines which variations will survive in a given environment, thus
altering life through a selective death rate (2:57-58). He did not think that acquired characteristics or survival of the
fittest were the ultimate principles of evolution. In 1860 Spencer went to work on The Synthetic Philosophy, a
combination work including psychology, biology, sociology, and morality. The accumulation of adaptations to a particular ecological
system leads into the development of separate species, each adapted to its own
ecolgoical area. A sustaining system found in one,
industry in the other, and both shared distributing systems: veins and arteries
and roads and telegraphs. He did so from an evolutionary point of view based on the
assumption that human behavior is socially determined.
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