Absolutely! Darwin, however, defined "profitable to itself" very broadly, while Victorian gentlemen, like Darwin's friend Herbert Spencer, took a very narrow definition to heart.
Therein lies the rub. Spencer coined the terms "evolution" (which Darwin thought inaccurate but catchy) and "survival of the fittest" (which Darwin didn't like). Why didn't Chuck like the latter? Because in common vernacular, "fittest" refers to physically and mentally fit, not fit to a new ecological niche.
So, for Darwin, a barnacle that invades a crab, sheds its limbs, and does nothing more than sponge the nutrients off his host while simultaneously neutering the crab and forcing it to breed more parasite crabs is a "fit" specimen. To guys like Spencer, the barnacle's action too much resembled a poor person sponging off the rich. Oh, did I mention Spencer likely coined the term "social Darwinism," which Charles really, really didn't like?
Worse, Darwin's own cousin Galton (he had a bunch, even married one) even coined the term "eugenics," thankfully after Darwin had died.
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Date: 12/2/13 20:29 (UTC)Therein lies the rub. Spencer coined the terms "evolution" (which Darwin thought inaccurate but catchy) and "survival of the fittest" (which Darwin didn't like). Why didn't Chuck like the latter? Because in common vernacular, "fittest" refers to physically and mentally fit, not fit to a new ecological niche.
So, for Darwin, a barnacle that invades a crab, sheds its limbs, and does nothing more than sponge the nutrients off his host while simultaneously neutering the crab and forcing it to breed more parasite crabs is a "fit" specimen. To guys like Spencer, the barnacle's action too much resembled a poor person sponging off the rich. Oh, did I mention Spencer likely coined the term "social Darwinism," which Charles really, really didn't like?
Worse, Darwin's own cousin Galton (he had a bunch, even married one) even coined the term "eugenics," thankfully after Darwin had died.