The Principles of Biology
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- Clean text · 1 illegible passages, excluded from answers
- Extent:
- ~200,000 words · 958 passages
Cite this work
- APAHerbert Spencer. (n.d.). The Principles of Biology. SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/herbert-spencer/the-principles-of-biology
- MLAHerbert Spencer. "The Principles of Biology." SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/herbert-spencer/the-principles-of-biology.
- ChicagoHerbert Spencer. The Principles of Biology. SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/herbert-spencer/the-principles-of-biology.
What it is about
Biology within Spencer's system: life defined as the continuous adjustment of internal relations to external ones, with growth, reproduction and heredity read by that criterion.
Context and history
Published between 1864 and 1867. Here the phrase 'survival of the fittest' appears for the first time; Spencer coined it after reading Darwin. Darwin eventually adopted it in the fifth edition of the Origin of Species, and it has been credited to him ever since; it is Spencer's. The rest of the book depends on a mechanism of heredity that would turn out to be false, which is why it reads more as a document than as biology.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
AUTHOR OF "social STATICS," "THE PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOLOGY,'* " ESSAYS : SCIENTIFIC, POLITICAL, AND SPECULATIVE," " FIRST PRINCIPLES," ETC. VOL. I. WILLIAMS AND NOEGATE, 14, HENRIETTA STREET, COYENT GARDEN, LONDON; AND 20, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH. The right of Translation is reserved. JOHN OniLDS AND SON. TKINTERS. PEEFACE. The aim of tMs work is to set forth the genei^al truths of Biology, as illustrative of, and as interpreted by, the laws of Evolution : the special truths being introduced only so fai' as is needful for elucidation of the general truths. For aid in executing it, I owe many thanks to Prof. Huxley and Dr Hooker. They have supplied me with information where my own was deficient ; and in looking through the proof-^^heets, have pointed out errors of detail into which I had fallen. By having kindly rendered me this valuable assistance, they must not, however, be held committed to any of the enunciated doctrines that are not among the recognized truths of Biology. The successive instalments which compose this volume, were issued to the subscribers at the following dates : — No. 7 (pp. 1—80) in January, 1863; No. 8 (pp. 81—160) in April, 1863; No. 9 (pp. 161—240) in July, 1863; No. 10 (pp. 241—320) in January, 1864; No. 11 (pp. 321—400) in May, 1864; and No. 12 (pp. 401—476) in October, 1864. London, Sejptenfiber 29th, 1864. f \l CONTENTS OF VOL L PAET I.— THE DATA OF BIOLOGY. CHAP. PAGE I. — OEGAJ^^IC MATTER " . . . . , . . . 3 II. — THE ACTIONS OF EORCES ON ORGANIC MATTER . . 25 III. — THE RE-ACTIONS OF ORGANIC MATTER ON FORCES 42 IV. — PROXIMATE DEFINITION OF LIFE . . . . 59 V. — THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND ITS CIR- CUMSTANCES . . . . . . . . 72 VI. — THE DEGREE OF LIFE VARIES AS THE DEGREE OF CORRESPONDENCE . . . . . . 82 VII. — THE SCOPE OF BIOLOGY . . . . . . 94 PAET II.— THE INDUCTIONS OF BIOLOGY. I. — GROWTH II. — DEVE
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