PAKT H 



SIMPLE EVOLUTIONISM SPENCER, STEPHEN 

 CHAPTER VII 



DARWINIAN AND SPENCERIAN CONCEPTIONS OP 

 EVOLUTION DARWIN 



Evolution came as a surprise Darvvin deals with biology With species only 

 Taking "Struggle" from Malthus, he perceives in it (Natural) " Selection" 

 A true cause, but minute ; an immensely slow process Compare the 

 replies to Malthus Sexual Selection accelerating Or Use- Inheritance 

 But too much Lamarck, making variation not ' ' casual, " but purposeful, 

 would render unnecessary the "Selective" action of "Nature" Recent 

 doubts as to use-inheritance. 



THE appeal to biology, so far as it was formulated by 

 Comte in tlie interests of social science, did not seem to 

 possess any great significance. The immense rise in 

 importance that was to accrue to biology from the 

 evolutionary theories of this age was hidden even from 

 the best minds of the preceding age. Even Hegel 

 speaks scornfully of the foolishness of trying to read the 

 purely ideal evolution, described in his system, as a 

 process in time ; but those who feel his influence most 

 strongly to-day have generally accepted the identifica- 

 tion. Comte goes further still. He expressly names 

 hypotheses regarding the origin of species among 

 the wasteful and unprofitable inquiries which the 



