Herbert Spencer

Characterprofile

Hisworkshavecontributedtomanytopics,includingnorms,metaphysics,religion,Politics,rhetoric,biologyandpsychology,etc.ThereweremanyfamousphilosophersandscientistsinSpencer'stime,suchasJohnStuartMill,ThomasHenryHuxleyandCharlesRobertDarwin,allofwhomarewell-knowncontemporaryfigure.

ThepioneerofBritishphilosopherswhoexpoundedthetheoryofevolutionintheory,precededDarwin.ItissaidthatSpencerdislikesPlato'stheory.Hissentence"Eventhird-ratenovelistswillbebetterthanhim(referringtoPlato)",whichisundoubtedlyaninsulttoPlato.ThisisprobablybecauseSpencerisaskeptic,butadialecticattackingskepticism.Inaddition,JackLondonpraisedSpencer.Inhismasterpiece"MartinEden",JackLondonpraisedSpencer.

Character'slife

Earlyexperience

HerbertSpencerwasbornin1820inDerby,England.HeisarespectededucationTheeldestoftheninechildrenborntoWilliamGeorgeSpencerandhiswifewastheonlyonewhosurvived.Hisyoungersiblingsalldiedafewdaysaftertheywereborn,andonlyoneyoungersisterlivedtobetwoyearsold.

Borninaneducationalfamily(grandfatherandunclearebotheducators),hewasencouragedtostudywhenhewasyoung.Whenhewasveryyoung,heoftencameintocontactwithandbecameinterestedinacademictextbooksandhisfather'sjournals.

Attheageof13,hewassentbyhisfathertoHintonChateau,asmalltownnearBath.Therehisunclecanprovidehimwithaformaleducation.Atfirst,becausehefeltboredandresistedtheLatinandGreekclasses,hedidnotfollowhisuncleandevenranhome.Later,helearnedfromhisuncleanddevelopedhisearlypoliticalandeconomicideasinresponsetohisuncle'sradicalreformviews.

In1836,hisunclefoundhimajobasacivilengineeroftherailway.Spencer'sexperienceatworkstoppedhimfrompursuingtheindustry,butinsteadfeltthathisbossmadetheworkersoverworked.Hewasdeterminedtowritearticlesatthismoment.

Intheyearsafterhewas22yearsold,hekeptvisitinghisuncleandsentrelevantpoliticalletterstosomeradicalnewspapers,suchas"TheNon-RegulatoryMan."Thisiswhenheofficiallybegantoparticipateinmediaandsociopoliticaldrafts.Thesemanuscriptswerecompiledintohisbook"TheAppropriateRangeofGovernmentPowers."

Dedicatedtoprofessionalwriting

Theseearlyworksshowliberals'viewsonworkers'rightsandgovernmentresponsibilities.InSpencer'scircle,hehasalreadyencouragedmorerationalityinthelawsofnature.

In1851,theseviewsofhisbecamemoreandmorematureinhisbook"SocialStatics".Thecontentemphasizestheimportanceofindividualpowertosociety,butsocietyundoubtedlytramplesonit.However,thecompassionfortheworkingclassandthegreatdesignofGodthatwerepopularinhisearlyworksareomitted.ThisiswhereSpencerbegantoestablishaperspectiveoncivilization,nottheman-madeconstructionmethodofmankind,butthenaturalorganicproductofmankindinnature.

HeworkedasanassociateeditorforTheEconomist,theLondonFinancialNewspaper,forfiveyears,anddidnotleaveuntil1853tostartwritingprofessionally.Inthefollowingyears,hisbookscoverededucation,science,railwayindustry,populationexplosion,andmanyphilosophicalandsociologicaltopics.

Writingworks

In1855,Spencer's"PrinciplesofPsychology"waspublished.Itshowsthatthetheoryofthoughtisabiologicallycomplementarypartofthebody,ratherthanadistantlyopposedpart.Inthismodel,humanintelligenceisslowlyestablishedrelativetothesurroundingenvironment.ThisstanceontheevolutionofhumanoriginalienatedconservativepublishersandputSpencer'sworkaside.

Whenwriting"PrinciplesofPsychology,"SpencertraveledtoWalesandFrance,andhishealthdeterioratedtothepointwherehecouldnotrecoverontheway.Itmaybebecauseoflong-termfatiguethatoftencausedshortsleep,whichhinderedhislongwork.Whenheblamedstressandpoorlungfunction,yearsofpoorhealthmadehimrelyonmorphineandopium.

Continuetowrite

Despitetheincreasingfatigue,Spencercontinuestowrite.

In1858,hestartedalargeprojectcoveringhisentireevolutionaryphilosophyandlegalprogress.Hehopestograduallyincreasethenumberofpublicationsinordertomaintainhislong-termlivelihood,buthecannolongerconsolidatetherelationshipwithanypublisherbypublishingregularly.

Fortunately,SpencerwaslovedbyBritishintellectualsatthistimeandgotaprivatesubscriptionlistofhistheoreticalworks,whichfundedhislifeandworkexpenses.Amongthemanyintellectuals,includingtherespectedBritishphilosopher-ThomasHenryHuxley,whointroducedSpencertojointhe"XClub"-istheeveninggatheringsomerespectedthinkersSomeofthesethinkerslaterbecamepresidentsoftheRoyalSociety.Membersinclude:philosopherJohnDoyle,banker/archaeologistSirJohnRubock,CharlesDarwin,etc.Throughthisorganization,Spencercanappearinthecenterofthecircleofscientistsandensurethathiscommentshaveastrongaudience.

Gaininginternationalreputation

In1862,Spencerpublished"TheFirstPrinciple".Itisademonstrationoftheevolutionarytheoryofthefundamentalprinciplesofallfieldsinreality.Itisthebasicbeliefofhisearlytheory.Accordingtohisdefinition,evolutionisacontinuousprocessinwhichthingsarecontinuouslyimprovedintocomplexandcoherentforms.ThisisthemaingunofSpencer'sphilosophy-adefinitionofanevolvedcoherentstructure.Atthismoment,hegainedinternationalreputationandhighrespect.Hisviewofhumanbeingsbasedonnatureisveryinfluentialandwidelyrecognized.

Inparticular,whenheisinterestedinvarioussciences,hehasneverbeenwillingtofocusonitbecausehehasawealthofknowledgeandrarelyspecializesinonesubject.Thismakeshisviewsandwritingseasytounderstandandwelcome.Hewascalledthe"DetailedSpencer"in"XClub"becauseofhisdepthofresearchonthesubject.Butheoftenshiftsprojects,makinghisinfluencefarandwide.

The60-year-oldSpencerisinverypoorhealth.

In1882,hebrokehiscustomofnotgoingtochurchandattendedthefuneralofCharlesDarwin.

In1902,hewasnominatedfortheNobelPrizeinLiterature.Hedevotedhislifetowriting.

Hewas83yearsold.

ThefamousBritishphilosopherHerbertSpencernevermarried.Oncehemettwofriendsontheroad.Afriendaskedhim:"Don'tyouregretyourcelibacy?"Spencerhappilyreplied:"Peopleshouldbesatisfiedwiththedecisiontheymade.Iamsatisfiedwithmydecision.Ioftencomfortmyselflikethis.:Thereisawomansomewhereinthisworldwhoishappybecauseshedidnotbemywife."

Influence

Writings

HeTheworksofalifetimeattractmanyreaders.In1869,hecouldevenrelyontheincomeofhiswritingstomakealiving.

Hisworkshavebeentranslatedintomultiplelanguages,suchas:German,Italian,Spanish,French,Russian,Japanese,Chinese,andwonmanyhonorsinEurope,NorthAmericaandotherplaces.

Theory

Hisphilosophyprovedtobeusefultopoliticalconservatives,notonlytheapplicationofsocialclassstructure,butalsotheconceptofsocialjustice,whichemphasizesthenatureandbehaviorIndividualresponsibility.Spencersupportsthe"lawofequalityandfreedom",whichisthebasicprincipleoflibertarianism.Withoutinfringingontherightsofothers,eachindividualcandothingsaccordingtohisownchoice.ManyUShighcourtmagistrateshavemadetheirconclusionsbasedonthisprinciplewhenfacedwithrestrictionsongovernmentlaborpractices.Butit'snotjustconservativeswhouseSpencer'stheorytopromotetheirviews.Manysociologistshaveappliedhistheorytoexplainclasswars.Anarchistsapplyittothebeliefinindividualautonomy.

Writing

Spenceralsohasagreatinfluenceonliteratureandrhetoric.His"PatternPhilosophy"(1852)pioneeredthetrendofformalisminwriting.HepaysgreatattentiontotheproperarrangementofthevariouspartsofEnglishsentencesandestablishesguidelinesforeffectivewriting.Spencer'sgoalistoreleaseprosefrom"resistanceandinertia".Readersarenotsloweddownbystrugglingtostudythecontextandtheprecisemeaningofthesentence.Inthisway,writerscanachievethehighestcommunicationefficiency.Thishasbecomethemostauthoritativesupportforformalistsinrhetoric.

MajorWorks

"OnTheProperSphereofGovernment"(1842)

"SocialStatics"(1850)

"SocialStaticTheory"(1851)

"ATheoryofPopulation"(1852)

"ThePhilosophyofStyleandColor"(ThePhilosophyofStyle,1852)

PrinciplesofPsychology(1855)

SyntheticPhilosophySystem(1860)

"TheFirstPrinciple",ISBN0898757959(1862)

"RegulatoryInformation"(1879)

"EducationTheory"(publishedintheUnitedStatesin1860)

"Manvs.Country"(1884)

"Autobiography"(1904)

Publishingbooks

DisciplinaryContributions

Science

SpencerwasoneofthemostcontroversialandmostcontroversialBritishthinkersintheVictorianera.Hisstrongscientificorientationmadehimstronglyemphasizetheimportanceofusingscientificmethodstoinvestigatesocialphenomena.Hefirmlybelievesthatallaspectsofhisthoughtconstituteanextremelycoherentandorderlysystem.Hebelievesthatscienceandphilosophysupportandpromoteindividualismandsocialprogress.However,althoughitisnaturaltoregardhimasarepresentativeofVictorianoptimism,heisbynomeansfreefromthepessimistichazethathasshroudedVictorianself-confidencefromtimetotime.Forexample,hebelievesthatevolutionmustbefollowedbydisintegration,thatis,degradation,andindividualismcanonlyprevailafterthedemiseofsocialismandwar.

Spencerregardsphilosophyasasummaryofthebasicprinciplesofspecificscience,anditisthe"scientificencyclopedia"thatreplacesthemedieval"theologicalencyclopedia".Hethinksabouttheunificationofsciencefromtheperspectiveofdevelopment,andhisentireframeworkisactuallyimplicitlysupportedbytheevolutionaryviewofbiologicalspecies.Inthefirst"FirstPrinciples"of"ComprehensivePhilosophy",hebelievesthatbothscienceandordertakephenomenaastheobjectofstudy,thatis,theystudylimited,conditional,relativeandclassifiablethings.Butthephenomenonistheconsciousexpressionofinfinite,unconditionalabsoluteexistence,andthisabsoluteexistenceisauniqueandindivisiblething,beyondthescopeofthephenomenon.Spencersometimescalledit"force"startingfromNewton'sclassicalphysics.Thisabsolute"force"ispermanent,theultimatecauseofallphenomena,andthehighestreality;buttheforcethatpeoplecanfeelisonlythesymbolofthisabsolute"force",butwhatitisis,Isunknowable.

Inhisview,thebasiclawofthingsis"thelawofpersistenceofforce".Undertheactionofthisforcelaw,itisimpossibleforanythingtomaintainitsownhomogeneity(homogeneous),becausetheinfluenceofexternalforcesonacertainpartofathingmustbedifferentfromotherparts.Hethereforebelievesthatanyforcethatcontinuestoactonhomogeneousthingswillinevitablyleadtoconstantchanges.Inhisview,this"lawofvalue-addedeffects"isacluetounderstandingtheevolutionoftheentireuniverseandspecies,andheattributedthislawtoanunknownandunknowableabsoluteforce.ItisworthnotingthatSpencer'sviewsonspeciesevolutionwerepublishedbeforeDarwinandWallace.However,hebelievedthatevolutionwascausedbytheinheritanceofacquiredtraits,whileDarwinandothersattributedittonaturalselection.Helateracceptedthetheoryofnaturalselectionasoneofthereasonsforbiologicalevolution,andcastthefamoussaying"survivalofthefittest"(survivalofthefittest).

PhilosophyofSociology

Intermsofthenatureandmethodologyofsociology,Spencer,likeComte,maintainsthatthenatureandmethodsofsociologyandnaturalsciencearesimilar.Conductscientificempiricalresearchonsocialphenomena.

Intermsofsociologyorsocialphilosophy,Spencerreflectedonhumansocietyforthefirsttimein"SocialStatics"andproposedauniversalevolutionaryframework.Socialevolutionisaprocessofinpiduation.Intheprocessofdevelopingfromanundifferentiatednomadictribetoacomplexcivilizedsociety,thecontinuousdivisionoflaborhaspromotedtheevolutionofhumansociety.Fromasociologicalpointofview,thebasicsocialclassificationismilitarysocietyandindustrialsociety.Intheformer,humancooperationisthroughviolence,whileinthelatter,cooperationisvoluntaryandspontaneous.

EvolutionisnottheonlybiologicalconceptSpencerappliestosociologicaltheory.Hecomparedanimalorganismsandhumansocietyindetail.Hefoundthattherearethreesystemsofregulation,maintenance,andcirculatorydistribution.Inanimals,theyarecentralnervoussystem,nutrition,andvenousarteries.Insociety,theyaregovernment,industryandroads,telegraph,andcommerce.Basedonthis,hedividedthemembersofsocietyintothreecategories:oneisworkersandfarmerswhoareengagedinproductionfunctions,theotherisbusinessmen,entrepreneursandbankerswhoareengagedin"distributionandrecycling"functions,andthethirdisgovernmentmanagementthatisengagedin"regulation"functions.Personnel,officials.Heassertedthatthecoexistenceofthesethreekindsofpeopleisdeterminedbythenatureofthesocialorganism.Theycooperatewitheachotherandperformtheirrespectivedutiestomaintainsocialbalanceandorder.Atthesametime,therearealsomajordifferencesbetweenanimalsandsocialorganisms:intheformer,thereisonlyoneconsciousnessrelatedtothewhole,andeachorganexistsforthesurvivalofthewhole;whileinthelatter,everymemberhasConsciousness,thewholeexistsfortheexistenceofitsparts.Societyexistsforthebenefitofitsmembers,notforthebenefitofsociety.

ThiskindofindividualismisthekeytoallSpencer'swritings.Theoppositionbetweenmilitarysocietyandindustrialsocietyisactuallytheoppositionbetweendespotismandindividualism.Theformerisprimitiveandbad,andthelatteriscivilizedandgood.Hebelievesthatordercanbeproducedinanindustrialsociety.Althoughthisorderisnotdesignedbysomeonedeliberately,itcansubtlyregulatetheneedsofvariousgroups.In"Manvs.Country"(1884),hewrotethattheConservativePartyinBritaingenerallylikedamilitarysocialorder,whiletheLiberalPartywaskeenonanindustrialsocialorder;buttheLiberalPartyinthesecondhalfofthe19thcenturyPeople,astheypassedlegislationonworkingdays,alcohollicenses,sanitationfacilities,andeducation,theydevelopeda"newconservatism"andwerepreparingforthecomingroadtoslavery.Hebelievesthatthefunctionofliberalisminthepastwastorestrictroyalpower.Thefunctionoftrueliberalisminthefutureshouldlimitthepowerofparliament.

InSpencer’semphasisonchangeanddifferentiation,heinadvertentlyrepeatedtheliberalmetaphysicsoutlinedbySpinozaandLeibnizinthe17thcenturyinthelanguageofthe19thcentury.Spinozabelievesthat"godornature"hasinfiniteattributes,andanypossibilityisrealizedinit;LeibnizbelievesthatthecompletenessofGodispresentedintheinfinitediversityoftheuniverse.However,neitherofthembelievesthattimeisthefundamentalfeatureofreality,andSpencercombinesthebeliefintherealityoftimewiththebeliefintheultimaterealityofanypossiblediversity.Inthisway,hegavemetaphysicalsupporttotheliberalprincipleofdiversity,andbasedonthis,hebelievedthatadividedanddevelopedsocietyispreferabletoasingleandstaticsociety.

Spencer'sambitionsoftryingtosynthesizevarioussciencescannotberepeated,becausethedivisionofdisciplineshewelcomesandforeseeshasgrowntoapointthathecouldnotimagine.Althoughhissociologyhaspromotedthestudyofsociety,ithasinfactbeenreplacedbysocialanthropologydevelopedfromhistime.WhenTHHuxleysaidthatSpencer’sviewoftragedywas“adeductionshotbyfacts”,hewantedtoremindpeoplethatthebasicfeatureofthestructuralsysteminSpencer’sworksledhimtofindthosethatcouldItconfirmsthetheories,whileignoringorreinterpretingtheconflictswiththetheories.NietzscheoncequotedtwowordsfromSpencer:"Theinevitabilityofthinkingistheinevitabilityofmorality.""Thelasttouchstonetotestthetruthofasentenceistodenytheincomprehensibilityoftruth."Itisalsodenouncedas"aplaquehangingonthedoorofamodernlunaticasylum."Althoughitistooacrimonious,itdoesnotloseitsdepth.

Education

Thepurposeandtaskofeducationistoteacheveryonehowtolivea"perfect"life.Hedividedpeople'sactivitiesintofivecategories,anddeterminedtheteachingcontentaccordingtothetypesofactivities:

First,directlyprotectone'sownactivities.Itrequiresanunderstandingofanatomy,physiologyandhygiene.

Second,obtainthelivingmaterialsandindirectlyprotectone'sownactivities.Inadditiontomasteringbasicskillssuchasreading,writing,andarithmetic,youmustalsomasterlogic,arithmetic,geometry,mechanics,physics,chemistry,astronomy,geology,biology,sociology,andforeignlanguageknowledge.

Three,racepreservation(thatis,raisingchildren)activities.Itrequiresgraduatestudentsinscience,psychologyandpedagogyinordertocorrectlyimplementphysical,intellectualandmoraleducationforchildren.

Four.Fulfillsocialobligations.Itisnecessarytostudyhistory,studythe"socialhistoryofnature",thatis,thephenomenonofsocialdevelopment.

Fifth,leisureactivitiesthatmeettheneedsofhobbiesandfeelings.

Peopleneed"natural,literary,andartisticfun","lackofpainting,sculpture,music,poetry,...lifehaslosthalfofitsessence".Spencer'spropositionsoneducationalcontentstartfromtheutilitarianismofthebourgeoisie,butitencompassesawiderangeofdisciplinesandhasplayedagreatroleinthestruggleofthebourgeoisie.

Intermsofteachingmethods,Spenceropposedtheformalismandscholasticismthatprevailedinschoolsatthetime.Headvocatedthatteachingshouldbebasedonstudents’autonomy,emphasizedtheroleofinterestintheteachingprocess,andpointedoutthat“shouldbeGuidethechildrentoexploreandreasonbythemselves.Tellthemaslittleaspossible,andguidethemtodiscoverasmuchaspossible."

Intermsofmoraleducation,Spencerproposedthatpersonalself-preservationisthemostimportantmoralprinciple,andthategoismandaltruismmustbecoordinatedwitheachother.Andinventedthemoralevolutionformula:egoism(concentration);altruism(differentiation);thehigheststageofmorality-thereconciliationandbalanceofegoismandaltruism.Intermsofdiscipline,heopposedpunishmentandadvocatedtheprincipleofnaturalconsequences.

Spencer’scoreeducationalphilosophymainlyincludesthefollowingaspects:

——Promotescienceeducationandopposeclassicismeducation;

——PromoteautonomyEducationisopposedtoindoctrinationeducation;

——Promotehappinessandinteresteducation,andopposeeducationmethodsthatignorethelawsofstudents’physicalandmentaldevelopment.

GloriousChronology

In1871,SpencerservedasthePresidentoftheUniversityofStAndrews;

In1874,heservedasthePresidentoftheUniversityofEdinburgh,EnglandMemberoftheRoyalSociety;

In1875,hebecameamemberoftheRoyalAcademyofLinchenScienceinRome;

In1882,hebecameamemberoftheRoyalSocietyofNaples;

1883BecomeacorrespondentoftheFrenchAcademy;

BecomeacorrespondentoftheParisSocietyofPhysiologicalPsychologyin1885;

BecomeamemberoftheRoyalDanishAcademyofSciencesin1889;

In1891BecomeanacademicianoftheRoyalAcademyofSciencesinBelgium;

becomeadoctorofsciencefromCambridgeUniversityin1897;

becomeadoctorofliteraturefromtheUniversityofLondonin1903.

Wonderfulwords

1.Asfaraseducationisconcernedwithcharactershaping,compulsorytrainingdoesnotconformtomorallaws,anditisalsoafutileeffort.

2.Themainobstacletopropereducationisnotchildren,butparents.Itisnotthatchildrenareinsensitivetotheinfluenceofcoercion,butthattheparents’virtuesarenotsufficienttousetheseinfluences.

3.Parentsexaggeratethedistresscausedbytheirchildren'simproperbehavior,alwaysbelievingthatallfaultsarecausedbytheirchildren'sundesirablebehavior,andhavenothingtodowiththeirownbehavior.However,afterafairself-analysis,wecanfindthatthemandatoryinstructionsissuedbytheparentsaremainlyforourownconvenience,nottocorrectmistakes.

4.Themind,likethebody,cannotbeabsorbedbeyondacertainspeed.Ifyougiveittoomuchknowledgetoofast,sothatitcannotbeabsorbed,itwillsoonbelost.Ifthesematerialscannotbecombinedwiththemind,theywillslipoutofmemoryafterfinishingtheexam.Tomakemattersworse,thisapproachwillmakelearningmoreandmoreannoying.

5.Toeffectivelyeducatechildren,educatorsmustmakesomepreparationsforeducation:theymustconductresearch,berational,bepatient,self-restraint,andissuefewerorderstochildren.

6.Painfulhomeworkmakesknowledgeannoying,andpleasanthomeworkmakesknowledgeattractive.Thosewhoobtainknowledgethroughintimidationandpunishmentmaynotcontinuetostudyinthefuture;andthosewhoobtainknowledgeinapleasantway,notonlybecauseknowledgeitselfisinteresting,manysuccessfulexperiencesmotivatethemtoeducatethemselves.

7.Childrenlearnmosteffectivelyinahappystate.

8.Love,weallhaveit,butloveandpurposefuleducationrequiresomepatienceandskill,sometimesevenlaughablewitorsomewhatunpleasantrestraint.

9.Thelong-standingmisunderstandingofeducationisthateducationisonlyregardedasthelifeofanasceticinaseriousclassroom,whileignoringthemoremeaningfulnatureeducationandself-helpeducationforchildren.

10.Whetherafamilyisarguingortalkingwheneating,praiseorreprimandisagoodmeasure.Itcantellwhetherthefamilyisestrangedorgettingcloser.

11.Goodhealthandhappyemotionsfromitarethebestfundsforhappiness.

12.Educationistoprepareforaperfectlife.

SociologicalThought

SocialEvolutionTheory

TheoutstandingfeatureofSpencer’ssociologicaltheoryistheanalogybetweensocietyandbiologicalorganisms.HistheoryofsocialevolutionandThetheoryofsocialorganismstartsfromthiskindofanalogyanddevelopsunderthecontrolofanalogythinkingmethods.

Spencerproposedtheideaof​​socialevolution7yearsbeforethepublicationofC.R.Darwin's"OriginofSpecies"(1859),andbelievedthatevolutionisauniversallaw.Inhisearlyworks,ithasbeenproposedthatsocialevolutionislinearanduninterrupted.Later,herealizedthatprogressisinevitableintermsofsocietyasawhole,butitisnotinevitableineveryparticularsociety.Hewentontoexplainthediversityandmulti-linearityofsocialprogress.

AlthoughSpencerproposedtheideaof​​evolutionearlierthanDarwin,hewasstillinfluencedbyDarwin'stheoryofbiologicalevolutionandtransplantedtheprinciplesofsurvivalcompetitionandnaturalselectionintosocialtheory.Hebelievesthattheevolutionaryprocessofsocietyisthesameasthatofbiologicalevolution.Itisthesurvivalofthefittestandthesurvivalofthefittest.Theprinciplesofsurvivalandcompetitioninthebiologicalworldalsoplayadominantroleinsociety.

Humanbeingsaredividedintosuperiorracesandinferiorraces,excellentindividuals,andinferiorindividuals.Inferior,inferiorracesandindividualsshouldbeeliminatedinthecompetition.Healsobelievesthatevolutionisanaturalprocessthatshouldfollowitsownlawsandshouldnotbeartificiallyinterfered.Heopposesbothstateplanningandsocialwelfare,aswellassocialreformandsocialrevolution,believingthattheseareagainstthelawsofnature.Spencer'stheoryofevolutionhasagreatinfluenceontheearlyAmericansociologistsW.G.SumnerandothersocialDarwinists.Itsinfluencecanstillbeseeninthestructuraldifferentiationtheoryofcontemporaryculturalanthropologyandthenewevolutionarytheoryofdevelopmentsociology.

SocialOrganismTheory

Spencer'sTheoryofSocialOrganismisreflectedinthefirstvolumeofhis"PrinciplesofSociology".Hemadesixanalogiesbetweensocietyandbiologicalorganismsanddrewthreeconclusions:

①Societyisasystem,aclosewholecomposedofinterconnectedparts.

②Thissystemcanonlybeunderstoodinthesenseofitsstructuraloperation.

③Forthesystemtoexist,itsneedsmustbemet.

Theseviewpointsopenedtheprecedentforthetheoryofstructureandfunction,anddirectlyinfluencedtheFrenchsociologistDurkheim,andtheBritishARRadcliffe-BrownandBKMalinowski,etc.Functionalistsociologicalthinking.