PART II 



SIMPLE EVOLUTIONISM SPENCER, STEPHEN 

 CHAPTER VII 



DARWINIAN AND SPENCERIAN CONCEPTIONS OF 

 EVOLUTION DARWIN 



Evolution came as a surprise Darwin 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, mak- 

 ing variation not " casual," but purposeful, would render unneces- 

 sary the " Selective " action of " Nature " Recent doubts as to 

 use-inheritance 



THE appeal to biology, so far as it was formulated 

 by Comte in the interests of social science, did not 

 seem to possess any great significance. The im- 

 mense 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 preced- 

 ing age. Even Hegel speaks scornfully of the fool- 

 ishness 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 identification. Comte 

 goes further still. He expressly names hypotheses 

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