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The Origin of Species · Character

Herbert Spencer

A philosopher who coined the phrase 'survival of the fittest'.

minor

Also known as Mr. Herbert Spencer, Mr. Herbert, Herbert

First appearance: the origin of species by means of natural selection

Herbert Spencer shows up with force in III: Struggle for Existence. The page is where that presence becomes real.

Mentioned for coining the phrase 'Survival of the Fittest' as a more accurate expression for natural selection.
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In III: Struggle for Existence: Mentioned for coining the phrase 'Survival of the Fittest' as a more accurate expression for natural selection. Later, in On the Degree to Which Organisation Tends to Advance: Mentioned…

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4 connections

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CDCharles DarwinPWProfessor Weis…MNM. NaudinGSGeoffroy Saint…HSHerbert Spencer

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  • Other

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  • Broad intellectual network
  • Protagonist

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

SetupEscalationAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

This passage marks the story's dramatic climax because Darwin shifts from a defensive posture against objectio…

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Herbert Spencer appears across 3 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

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See Herbert Spencer in the origin of species by means of natural selection
See Herbert Spencer in III: Struggle for Existence
Who is Herbert Spencer in The Origin of Species?