Herbert Spencer (1820–1903) was the English philosopher-scientist principally responsible for the introduction of evolutionary thinking into scientific discourse. While Charles Darwin’s treatment of evolution was limited to its role in biology, Spencer saw the process manifesting itself in all domains of nature. Though he wrote more than a dozen books during his lifetimes, Spencer did not have a literary background. He was taught at home by his father and never attended a university. His first employment was with the railroads, serving in the role of a civil engineer. In 1843, Spencer moved to London where he began his literary career in an editorial capacity with several journals. His first book, Social Statics, was published in 1850.
Spencer’s first involvement with science was with geology when he examined fossils removed from railroad cuts during the course of his work. His interest in geology and paleontology thus aroused, he began reading Charles Lyell’s Principles of Geology,...
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Carneiro, R.L. (2012). Herbert Spencer and Introduction of Evolution into Psychology. In: Rieber, R.W. (eds) Encyclopedia of the History of Psychological Theories. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0463-8_262
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