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'''Herbert Spencer''' (April 27, 1820 – December 8, 1903) was an [[English]] [[philosopher]] and prominent [[liberal]] [[political theorist]]. He had an encyclopedic range, writing on topics of politics, ecoomics, sociology, biology, psychology and anthropology. His main theme was that powerful forces of social evolution were systematically making mankind better and better. In politics he was a libertarian opposed to government intervention of any sort.
'''Herbert Spencer''' (April 27, 1820 – December 8, 1903) was an [[English]] [[philosopher]] and prominent [[liberal]] [[political theorist]]. He had an encyclopedic range, writing on topics of politics, ecoomics, sociology, biology, psychology and anthropology. His main theme was that powerful forces of social evolution were systematically making mankind better and better. In politics he was a libertarian opposed to government intervention of any sort.
==Life==
Spencer was born into a poor but well-educated family. He was home-schooled by his father and his uncle Thomas Spencer, an evangelical clergyman who had been educated at Cambridge University. Starting at age 17 he spent four years as a civil eengineer building railways, and the highly systematic engineering mode of analysis characterized his intellectual approaches.<ref> He was not the engineer of a train.</ref> He never married.
==Religion==
==Religion==
Although raised in a devout Methodist family, he never joined achurchn. He was a defender of [[Charles Darwin]]'s theory of [[evolution]], and coined the terms "the [[Survival of the fittest]]"<ref>''fit'' - meaning suitable, or the right size and shape, '''not''' ''fit'' as in athletically strong (although some have inferred this interpretation).</ref> and "the Descent of Man." Spencer, like many scientists of the time, was a [[deist]], which is to say he did not believe in [[God]] ''per se'', but only in ''a'' god. Eventually, Spencer became an [[agnostic]].
Although raised in a devout Methodist family, he never joined a church. He was a defender of [[Charles Darwin]]'s theory of [[evolution]], and coined the terms "the [[Survival of the fittest]]"<ref>''fit'' - meaning suitable, or the right size and shape, '''not''' ''fit'' as in athletically strong (although some have inferred this interpretation).</ref> and "the Descent of Man." Spencer, like many scientists of the time, was a [[deist]], which is to say he did not believe in [[God]] ''per se'', but only in ''a'' god. Eventually, Spencer became an [[agnostic]].
==Influence==
==Influence==
==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
* Carneiro, Robert L. and Perrin, Robert G." Herbert Spencer's 'Principles of Sociology:' a Centennial Restrospective and Appraisal." ''Annals of Science'' 2002 59(3): 221-261 online at Ebsco
* Carneiro, Robert L. and Perrin, Robert G. "Herbert Spencer's 'Principles of Sociology:' a Centennial Restrospective and Appraisal." ''Annals of Science'' 2002 59(3): 221-261 online at Ebsco
* Duncan, David. ''The life and letters of Herbert Spencer'' (1908) [http://books.google.com/books?id=trlCAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=intitle:herbert+intitle:spencer&lr=&num=30&as_brr=3 online edition]
* Duncan, David. ''The life and letters of Herbert Spencer'' (1908) [http://books.google.com/books?id=trlCAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=intitle:herbert+intitle:spencer&lr=&num=30&as_brr=3 online edition]
* Francis, Mark. ''Herbert Spencer and the Invention of Modern Life.'' (2007) 464p.
* Francis, Mark. ''Herbert Spencer and the Invention of Modern Life.'' (2007) 464p.