Tools And Technology, Social Darwinism, And Natural Rights

Social Darwinism was a slight distortion of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection, which stated that species change over time because those with heritable traits that help survival are the one’s that reproduce. “Social Darwinists,” like Sumner, applied Darwin’s theory onto the human race, and then used it to justify his views in his article. He claimed that those in society who are powerful are innately better than those who are not, and their superiority is proof of this (Class notes

Social Darwinism is a theory that individuals, peoples, and groups are subject to darwinian laws of natural selection. Another way to describe social darwinism is survival of the fittest. The strongest and the smartest will survive. It is now largely discredited, it was advocated in the late 19th and early 20th century by Herbert Spencer and others. It was used to justify political conservation, imperialism, to discourage intervention and reform and racism. This theory was used to support the laissez faire capitalism and political conservatism.

Social Darwinism is based off of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection. He uses the concept of survival of the fittest. This was used to justify class distinctions and to explain the reason for poverty. Modern science declared that the failure to advance in society was due to the lack of self reliance and determination. They acted down on people who needed government aid. Even during the depression people still believed the notion that the poor were responsible for their fate. The idea of natural superiority was around since the Civil War. So much so, we thought it was okay to own human beings.

Technology is the epitome of human evolution. We are the only species we know of to have successfully developed tools, not just primitive ones, that’s been done before by other organisms. The tools I’m talking about are the ones which enhance our senses beyond their human abilities. Tools like GPS, farming equipment, calculators. These are tools that push the limits of human ability beyond what can be naturally achieved. Through these tools we can navigate the earth on a scale far beyond our ancestors, we can turn a field that would have previously taken months, and we can compute mathematics that further our understanding of our very existence. However, these tools might be taking more than they give; at least that’s what Nicholas Carr argues in his essay A Thing Like Me. In his

Social Darwinism is a term to describe the idea that humans compete for existence just like the rest of the animal kingdom. Darwin used this term to attempt to rationalize racism, capitalism, and imperialism. It simplifies the human’s desire for power. Now it is widely discredited and scrutinized because its a “ rejection of compassion and social responsibility.” (1)

Much of the human ability to make and use tools and other objects stem from the large size and complexity of the human brain. Most modern humans have a braincase volume of between 79.3 and 91.5 cubic inches. In the course of human evolution the size of the brain has more than tripled. The increase in brain size may be related to changes in hominine behavior. Over time stone tools, and other artifacts became increasingly numerous and sophisticated. It is likely that the increase in human brain size took place as part of a complex interrelationship that included the elaboration of tool use and tool making, as well as other learned skills, which permitted our ancestors to be increasingly able to live in a variety of environments.

Similarly, humans use tools and modify tools everyday to make life easier for them. However, humans have better technology and a variety of tools. For instance, humans use cars and airplanes to travel to and from different locations. Instead of hunting for food like the chimpanzees, humans buy food from local grocery stores. Scientists are always finding ways for technology to be beneficial to human usage

In the beginning of the Paleolithic Era, bands of humans progressively migrated from East Africa to Eurasia, Australia, and then to the Americas while adapting to their new regions. During the Paleolithic era, hominids used crude tools like clubs and choppers to crack open bones, simple axes, and scrapers to prepare animal hides. As the years went on the Neanderthal, Cro-Magnon, and Homo sapiens amended these tools and created new ones. They made these tools so that they can provide shelter, protection, defense from other predators, food, and also clothing. As the Paleolithic era was ending, the hominids were building much more innovative wood and stone structures. They also started

Social Darwinism is a quasi-philosophical, quasi-religious, quasi-sociological view that came from the mind of Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher in the 19th century. It did not achieve wide acceptance in England or Europe, but flourished in this country, as is true of many ideologies, religions, and philosophies. A good summary of Social Darwinism is by Johnson:

Worldwide, millions of people wake up every morning in fear their lives are in danger of other people. Everyone has heard about genocides, and unfair treatment, but few people know what it is actually like. Social Darwinism is when humans think they are better than other people and it can lead into the killing of others. Herbert Spencer promoted this idea in the late 19th century for political reasoning. Subsequently, Social Darwinism exists and is evident in both literature and the real world.

“For their point of view does not permit of a live-and-let-live kind of carrying on. It is a point of view that justifies itself by a whole hearted acceptance of the worst of Neo-Darwinism, the Allmacht of natural selection applied rigorously to human life and society and Kultur”(p.22, Headquarters Nights by Vernon Kellogg).

Furthermore, the denizens of society are tied to the rules of Social Darwinism, as they are subject to the same fashion of natural selection as animals in the wild. Instances demonstrating Social Darwinism, the notion that humans are subject to the same fashion of natural selection as animals in the wild while living in society

Social Darwinism is a theory that competition among all individuals, groups, nations or ideas drives social evolution in human societies. The term draws upon Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, where competition between individual organisms drives biological evolutionary change through the survival of the fittest. The term was popularized in 1944 by the American historian Richard Hofstadter, and has generally been used by critics rather than advocates of what the term is supposed to

Social Darwinism was a sociological theory that merged Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection and the work of Herbert Spencer, Malthus, and other scientific and sociological theorists to justify imperialism, racism, and conservative economic policies. The overall acceptance of the power of nature in defining human beings developed during the 18th century Enlightenment. Europe’s exploration not only brought about immense economic and agricultural growth, but also exposed them to “human behavior and life patterns within environments and under circumstances dramatically different than their own” (4). The most popular catch phrases of Darwinism, “struggle for existence” and “survival of the fittest”, when applied to the life of man in society, suggested that nature would provide that the best competitors in a competitive situation would win, and that this process would lead to continuing improvement” (6. Hoft). This misinterpreted sense of superiority engulfed much of society at the time and was used to justify the logistics behind certain actions regarding capitalism, racism, and imperialism. Furthermore, it served as the backbone of some of the most heinous acts imaginable including the genocide and sterilization of certain groups of people.

Social Darwinism is a theory by Charles Darwin that people are subject to the same laws of natural selection. Darwin believed that life of humans was a competition between the survival of the fittest. Along with Darwinism is naturalism. In the belief of naturalism everything arises from natural properties and causes. Naturalist believe that humans do not have free will when it comes to their lives. The story in this module that I believe follows this theory and naturalism the most is Jack London’s “To Build a Fire”. In this story it is shown that the man does not have free will, and his fate is already determined by nature. In naturalism it is believed that only natural forces operate in the world. In “To Build a Fire” the main character,