Herbert Spencer: biography and basic ideas. English philosopher and sociologist of the late XIX century

Herbert Spencer (years of life - 1820-1903) is a philosopher from England, the main representative of evolutionism that became widespread in the second half of the 19th century. He understood philosophy as a whole, homogeneous knowledge based on specific sciences and achieved a universal community in his development. That is, in his opinion, this is the highest stage of knowledge, encompassing the whole world of law. According to Spencer, it consists in evolutionism, that is, development. The main works of this author are: "Psychology" (1855), "System of Synthetic Philosophy" (1862-1896), "Social Statistics" (1848).

The young years of Spencer

Herbert Spencer was born in 1820, on April 27, in Derby. Uncle, father and grandfather were teachers. Herbert had so bad health that his parents even lost hope several times that the boy would survive. As a child, he did not show any phenomenal abilities, he learned to read only at the age of 8, although the books did not interest him very much. Herbert Spencer was lazy and absent-minded at school, also stubborn and disobedient. His upbringing at home was occupied by his father, who wanted his son to acquire an extraordinary and independent way of thinking. Herbert corrected his health due to physical exercises.

Herbert Spencer's Education

He was sent to 13 years, according to English custom, to uncle for education. Thomas, Uncle Spencer, was a priest in Bath. It was a "university man". Herbert, at his insistence, continued his education at Cambridge University. However, after finishing the preparatory three-year course, I went home. He decided to continue learning on his own.

Herbert Spencer never regretted having received no academic education. He went through a good school of life, which later helped overcome many of the difficulties that arise in solving various tasks.

Spencer is an engineer

Spencer's father wanted his son to become a teacher, that is, he followed in his footsteps. After receiving secondary education, he really helped for several months at the school, where he once studied, to one teacher. Spencer showed pedagogical talent. But he was more interested in natural science and mathematics than in philology and history. Therefore, when the engineer's place was vacated during the construction of the railway, Herbert Spencer accepted this proposal without hesitation. His biography at that time was marked by the fact that he, when he was doing his job, sketched out plans, drew maps. The thinker who interests us has invented even a special tool ("Velocimeter"), designed to measure the speed of trains.

Features Spencer as a philosopher

From most philosophers-predecessors, Herbert Spencer, whose biography is described in this article, differs in a practical mindset. This brings him closer to Comte, the founder of positivism, and Renouvier, the New Kantian, who also did not complete the liberal arts course at the university. This feature played an important role in the formation of the original philosophical worldview Spencer. But there were their shortcomings in this. For example, he, like Comte, did not know the German language, so the works of the philosophers who wrote on it could not be read in the original. In addition, during the first half of the 19th century, German thinkers remained unknown in England (Schelling, Fichte, Kant, etc.). Only from the end of the 1820s the British begin to get acquainted with the authors from Germany. The first transfers were of very low quality.

Self-education, the first philosophical works

Spencer's hands in 1839 fall into the "Principles of Geology" Lyell. He meets this theory with the theory of the evolution of life. Still Spencer is passionate about engineering projects, but it becomes clear now that he does not guarantee the profession of this solid financial position. Herbert returned home in 1841 and engaged in self-education for two years. He gets acquainted with the works of the classics of philosophy and publishes at the same time his first works - articles written for the "Nonconformist", devoted to the questions of the true boundaries of state activity.

Herbert in 1843-1846 again works as an engineer, headed the bureau. He is interested in more and more political issues. A great influence was exerted on him in this area by Uncle Thomas, a priest who, unlike other members of the Spencer family, held conservative views, participated in the Chartist democratic movement, and in campaigning for the abrogation of the Corn Laws.

"Social statistics"

Spencer in 1846 becomes assistant editor of the Economist (weekly). He earns well, devoting his spare time to his own work. Herbert writes "Social Statistics," in which the development of life was viewed as a gradually realizing divine idea. He later found this concept too theological. However, already in this paper, Spencer applied the evolution theory to social life.

Do not go unnoticed by this work by specialists. Singles dating Spencer with Ellistom, Lewis, Huxley. Also this work brought him such admirers and friends as Hooker, Georg Grot, Stuart Mill. Only relations with Carlyle did not work out. The arrogant and cold-blooded Spencer could not stand his gallblady pessimism.

"Psychology"

The philosopher inspired the success of his first work. He publishes a number of others in the period from 1848 to 1858 and ponders the plan of the matter, which he wanted to devote to his whole life. Spencer applies in the "Psychology" (the second work, published in 1855) with respect to psychology the hypothesis of the natural origin of species and indicates that generic experience can be explained by the inexplicable individual. Therefore, Darwin considers this philosopher to be one of his predecessors.

"Synthetic philosophy"

Gradually, Spencer begins to develop his own system. She was influenced by the empiricism of his predecessors, mainly Mill and Hume, Kant's criticism, refracted through the prism of Hamilton (the representative of the so-called "common sense" school), as well as Comte's positivism and Schelling's natural philosophy. However, the main idea of his philosophical system was the idea of development.

"Synthetic philosophy," his main work, Herbert dedicated 36 years of life. This work glorified Spencer, who was declared the most brilliant philosopher of those who lived at that time.

Herbert Spencer in 1858 decided to announce the publication of the essay subscription. The first issue he publishes in 1860. In the period from 1860 to 1863 came "Basic Principles." However, due to material difficulties, the publication was hardly making progress.

Material difficulties

Spencer suffers poverty and loss, is on the verge of poverty. It is necessary to add to this the work of nervous overstretching that hindered us from working. In 1865, the philosopher writes bitterly to readers that he is forced to suspend the output of this series. Two years after Herbert's father died, he received a small inheritance, which somewhat improved his financial position.

Acquaintance with Yumans, publication in the USA

Herbert Spencer at this time gets acquainted with Yumans, an American who published his works in the USA. In this country, Herbert acquires a wide popularity earlier than in England. Material support is provided to him by Yumans and American fans, which allows the philosopher to resume publishing his books. For 27 years, the friendship of Yumans and Spencer continues until the death of the first. Herbert's name gradually becomes known. The demand for his books is growing. It covers financial losses in 1875, profits.

Spencer makes in the following years 2 trips to the south of Europe and to America, lives mainly in London. In 1886, the philosopher was forced to interrupt his work for 4 years due to poor health. The last volume was published in 1896, in the autumn.

Herbert Spencer: basic ideas

His enormous work (Synthetic Philosophy) consists of 10 volumes. It includes "Basic Principles", "Foundations of Psychology", "Foundations of Biology", "Foundations of Sociology". The philosopher believes that the evolutionary law lies at the basis of the development of the whole world, including also various societies. Matter from "incoherent homogeneity" becomes a state of "connected heterogeneity", that is, it is differentiated. This law is universal, says Herbert Spencer. A brief description of it does not take into account all the nuances, but for the first acquaintance with this philosopher this is enough. Spencer traces his action on specific material in various fields, including the history of society. Refuses to theological explanations of Herbert Spencer. Sociology has no connection with the divine. His understanding of the functioning of society as a single living organism with interconnected parts expands the circle of historical research and pushes the philosopher to study it. According to Herbert Spencer, the law of equilibrium is the basis of evolution. Nature in any violation of it tends to invariably return to its former state. This is the organicism of Herbert Spencer. Since the main importance belongs to the education of characters, evolution is slow. In relation to the future is not as optimistic as Mill and Comte, Herbert Spencer. His main ideas were briefly examined.

The philosopher died in 1903, on December 8, in Brighton. He lived, despite his poor health, more than 83 years.

The theory of Herbert Spencer became the property of educated people. Today, we no longer think or forget about who is due to the discovery of this or that idea. Herbert Spencer, whose sociology and philosophy played a huge role in the development of world thought, is one of the greatest minds in history.