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Herbert Spencer Quotes

Philosopher

Herbert Spencer was an English philosopher, sociologist, and writer, best known for his theory of social Darwinism. His ideas had a profound impact on social and political theories of the late 19th century.

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Famous Herbert Spencer Quotes

“This survival of the fittest implies multiplication of the fittest. {The phrase 'survival of the fittest' was not originated by Charles Darwin, though he discussed Spencer's 'excellent expression' in a letter to Alfred Russel Wallace (Jul 1866).}”

Science Evolution Biology Natural Selection Survival Of The Fittest Darwin Charles Darwin Wallace Alfred Russel Wallace

Book:The Principles of Biology, Vol 1

Source: The Principles of Biology, Vol 1

“Evolution is an integration of matter and concomitant dissipation of motion during which the matter passes from an indefinite incoherent homogeneity to a definite coherent heterogeneity, and during which the retained motion undergoes a parallel transformation.”

Matter Science Evolution Biology Natural Selection Motion Homogeneity Heterogeneity

Book:First Principles

Source: First Principles

“In science the important thing is to modify and change one's ideas as science advances.”

Important Ideas Science Change Accounts Important Things

Author:Herbert Spencer

“Those who have never entered upon scientific pursuits know not a tithe of the poetry by which they are surrounded.”

Knows Science Serious Pursuit Tithe

Book:Education, Intellectual, Moral, and Physical

Source: Education, Intellectual, Moral, and Physical

“Science is organized knowledge.”

Science Management Organized

Author:Herbert Spencer

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation.”

Men Wisdom Science Principles Failing Information Ignorance Bars Resistance Contempt Investigation Everlasting Condemnation Theorists Alcoholics Anonymous Contradicting Big Book Close Minded

Author:Herbert Spencer

“If a single cell, under appropriate conditions, becomes a man in the space of a few years, there can surely be no difficulty in understanding how, under appropriate conditions, a cell may, in the course of untold millions of years, give origin to the human race.”

Ifs Men Giving Years Humans May Science Courses Understanding Space Race Millions Conditions Evolution Difficulty Cells Human Race Appropriate

Book:The Principles of Biology

Source: The Principles of Biology

“This survival of the fittest implies multiplication of the fittest.”

Science Evolution Survival Survival Of The Fittest Multiplication

Author:Herbert Spencer

“During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.”

Humans Art Science Humanity Progress Corresponding Human Progress

Book:Education: Intellectual, Moral, and Physical

Source: Education: Intellectual, Moral, and Physical

“Organs, faculties, powers, capacities, or whatever else we call them; grow by use and diminish from disuse, it is inferred that they will continue to do so. And if this inference is unquestionable, then is the one above deduced from it-that humanity must in the end become completely adapted to its conditions-unquestionable also. Progress, therefore, is not an accident, but a necessity.”

Ifs Ends Use Science Humanity Grows Growth Progress Conditions Capacity Accidents Faculty Organs Diminish Adapted Inference

Book:Social Statics; Or, The Conditions Essential to Human Happiness Specified, & the First of Them Developed

Source: Social Statics; Or, The Conditions Essential to Human Happiness Specified, & the First of Them Developed

“No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts of the cerebrum subserve different kinds of mental action. Localization of function is the law of all organization whatever: separateness of duty is universally accompanied with separateness of structure: and it would be marvellous were an exception to exist in the cerebral hemispheres.”

“The existence of a first cause of the universe is a necessity of thought ... Amid the mysteries which become more mysterious the more they are thought about, there will remain the one absolute certainty that we are over in the presence of an Infinite, Eternal Energy from which all things proceed.”

Firsts Science Universe Energy Causes Existence Mystery Eternal All Things Absolutes Infinite Mysterious Certainty Absolute Certainty

Author:Herbert Spencer

“If there be an order in which the human race has mastered its various kinds of knowledge, there will arise in every child an aptitude to acquire these kinds of knowledge in the same order. So that even were the order intrinsically indifferent, it would facilitate education to lead the individual mind through the steps traversed by the general mind. But the order is not intrinsically indifferent; and hence the fundamental reason why education should be a repetition of civilization in little.”

Source: Essays on education and kindred subjects Repr

“Only when Genius is married to Science can the highest results be produced.”

Science Results Genius Married Highest Accounts Productions

Author:Herbert Spencer

“So far from science being irreligious, as many think, it is the neglect of science that is irreligious-it is the refusal to study the surrounding creation that is irreligious.”

Thinking Science Study Creation Accounts Neglect Refusal

Book:Education: Intellectual, Moral, and Physical

Source: Education: Intellectual, Moral, and Physical

“A function to each organ, and each organ to its own function, is the law of all organization.”

Law Science Organization Function Organs

Book:Social Statics; Or, The Conditions Essential to Human Happiness Specified, & the First of Them Developed

Source: Social Statics; Or, The Conditions Essential to Human Happiness Specified, & the First of Them Developed

“Though, probably, no competent geologist would contend that the European classification of strata is applicable to the globe as a whole; yet most, if not all geologists, write as though it were so.”

Ifs Writing Science Europe Globes Competent Classification Geologist

Author:Herbert Spencer

About the Author

Born: April 27, 1820
Died: December 8, 1903
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 198

Books & Sources

Social Statics; Or, The Conditions Essential to Human Happiness Specified, & the First of Them DevelopedRelated source material

Social Statics: Great EssaysRelated source material

First PrinciplesRelated source material

The Study of SociologyRelated source material

Education: Intellectual, Moral, and PhysicalRelated source material

The Data of Ethics: Great EssaysRelated source material

The Man versus the State: Great EssaysRelated source material

An Autobiography: By Herbert SpencerRelated source material

Essays: Scientific, Political and SpeculativeRelated source material

The Principles of Ethics - Completed: Great EssaysRelated source material

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