Social Darwinism and Natural Theodicy
Abstract. Despite the harsh scientific basis of Social Darwinism, its followers strove to unify nature with humane feelings—for world views necessarily attempt such reconciliations. To answer the difficult “problem of evil” posed by natural selection and survival of the fittest, Social Darwinists su...
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Medienart: | Elektronisch Aufsatz |
Sprache: | Englisch |
Verfügbarkeit prüfen: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Veröffentlicht: |
Wiley-Blackwell
1988
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In: |
Zygon
Jahr: 1988, Band: 23, Heft: 4, Seiten: 439-459 |
weitere Schlagwörter: | B
Social Darwinism
B Progress B Theodicy B Individualism B problem of evil B Organicism |
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Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Parallele Ausgabe: | Nicht-Elektronisch
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Zusammenfassung: | Abstract. Despite the harsh scientific basis of Social Darwinism, its followers strove to unify nature with humane feelings—for world views necessarily attempt such reconciliations. To answer the difficult “problem of evil” posed by natural selection and survival of the fittest, Social Darwinists such as Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace, and Herbert Spencer resorted to three kinds of theodicy: sentimental denial of the problem, belief in progress, and belief in perfection. Spencer's writings particulary display at different times both a rigid individualism and a softer organicism. Eventually, however, T. H. Huxley would abandon the attempt, acknowledging in effect that no complete world view was possible. |
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ISSN: | 1467-9744 |
Enthält: | Enthalten in: Zygon
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9744.1988.tb00858.x |