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.
Spencerproposedtheideaofsocialevolution7yearsbeforethepublicationofC.R.Darwin's"OriginofSpecies"(1859),andbelievedthatevolutionisauniversallaw.Inhisearlyworks,ithasbeenproposedthatsocialevolutionislinearanduninterrupted.Later,herealizedthatprogressisinevitableintermsofsocietyasawhole,butitisnotinevitableineveryparticularsociety.Hewentontoexplainthediversityandmulti-linearityofsocialprogress.
AlthoughSpencerproposedtheideaofevolutionearlierthanDarwin,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.