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Rating: 
Summary: The motives of theory
Review: Hofstadter's classic work remains one of the outstanding challenges to the effect of Darwin's theory of evolution on social attitudes and beliefs. One of the great fallacies of evolutionary thinking can arise from the assumption of universal application of its mechanism of natural selection to all times, thus to the present and future. This is a fallacy and an inherent trap in confusing evolutionary process with a natural law, as in physics. The result of Darwin's theory was to make 'natural selection' a social strategy in the minds of many in a total confusion of theoretical domains of application. The outcome was the many variants of Social Darwinism that stretch into our own times. Hofstadter's documentation of the many shades of opinion generates a sense of deja vu, for few of the viewpoints we hear now are new and appear somewhere in the book, in a merry-go-round of confused thinking. It is a dreadful legacy that too many fell obligated to correct in the wrong fashion, by exempting Darwin entirely, and blaming those who came afterwards. In fact, the perception that Darwin's theory is simply wrong or incomplete is the only antidote to social Darwinist attitudes, which linger in the tacit belief of too many in the need to mimic the ruthlessness enjoined by a confused theory. Robert Bannister's Social Darwinism is also a partial comment on Hofstadter, but does not supercede this original and enduring work.
Rating:
Summary: The motives of theory
Review: Hofstadter's classic work remains one of the outstanding challenges to the effect of Darwin's theory of evolution on social attitudes and beliefs. One of the great fallacies of evolutionary thinking can arise from the assumption of universal application of its mechanism of natural selection to all times, thus to the present and future. This is a fallacy and an inherent trap in confusing evolutionary process with a natural law, as in physics. The result of Darwin's theory was to make 'natural selection' a social strategy in the minds of many in a total confusion of theoretical domains of application. The outcome was the many variants of Social Darwinism that stretch into our own times. Hofstadter's documentation of the many shades of opinion generates a sense of deja vu, for few of the viewpoints we hear now are new and appear somewhere in the book, in a merry-go-round of confused thinking. It is a dreadful legacy that too many fell obligated to correct in the wrong fashion, by exempting Darwin entirely, and blaming those who came afterwards. In fact, the perception that Darwin's theory is simply wrong or incomplete is the only antidote to social Darwinist attitudes, which linger in the tacit belief of too many in the need to mimic the ruthlessness enjoined by a confused theory. Robert Bannister's Social Darwinism is also a partial comment on Hofstadter, but does not supercede this original and enduring work.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: Richard Hofstadter is an excellent historian of the trends in American political, social, and religious thought. This book chronicles the rise and fall of Herbert Spencer's philosophy as a reinforcing doctrine for laissez-faire political economy. Hofstadter deftly combines his own observations with carefully selected quotes from the thinkers themselves. One lesson that may be gleaned from this work is that controversial and complex ideas such as Darwinian evolution may be used for a multiplicity of purposes, some of them conflicting. For those who seek a greater insight to the struggle between individualism and collectivism in American political culture. I would also recommend reading Will Durant's chapter on Herbert Spencer in The Story of Philosophy as a supplement.
Rating:
Summary: masterpiece
Review: Typically, I bestow five stars on books I think profitable to read. This book is a classic: it is imperative to read. I disagree with the reviewer below (Mr. Landon) who calls for a repudiation of natural selection. I do not believe that sufficient evidence exists to recall the theory of natural selection. Richard Hofstaedter is not, I repeat, is not calling for that, either. Recalling a scientific theory because of political difficulties caused by misguided adherents is neither right nor necessary. And Richard Hofstaedter demonstrates why it is not necessary right here in this book. The take-away from this book is that social Darwinism, the belief that only the "fittest" (whatever that means) people among us should survive (rule, whatever), is on shaky ground. Always a morally repugnant doctrine, Hofstaedter shows social Darwinism to be logically suspect as well. As Hofstaedter points out, one can start with the social Darwinist's appropriation of (or more accurately with their failure to reckon with) the term "natural". Darwin's principle of natural selection never addressed individuals within a species, and its application to individuals is a tremendous mistake. Writing about individuals striving to be "fittest", Hofstaedter here, from the pen of Mr. Darwin himself: "People who are selfish and contentious will not cohere, and without coherence, nothing can be effected." Rugged individualism is repudiated by its supposed inventor, and is fatally wounded. One ponders the origin of the social instinct. Social Darwinists believe it to be contrived. But we were either created or selected to have it, this Darwin seems to know. And we should know it, too. Hofstaedter avoids bombast, ideology, and religion. Yet he most effectively shames any false philosopher who would trample underfoot the least of his brothers and pronounce it "inevitable", by demonstrating the fallacy of his "logic". By revealing the spurious origins and assumptions that form the foundation of the doctrine of social Darwinism, Hofstaedter undoes the false conflict between evolutionary science and Christian ethics. In the end, Mr. Landon and I agree: Five stars. If you're interested in the most significant question arising in the past couple of centuries for social science, ethics and religion, the buck stops here.
Rating:
Summary: masterpiece
Review: Typically, I bestow five stars on books I think profitable to read. This book is a classic: it is imperative to read. I disagree with the reviewer below (Mr. Landon) who calls for a repudiation of natural selection. I do not believe that sufficient evidence exists to recall the theory of natural selection. Richard Hofstaedter is not, I repeat, is not calling for that, either. Recalling a scientific theory because of political difficulties caused by misguided adherents is neither right nor necessary. And Richard Hofstaedter demonstrates why it is not necessary right here in this book. The take-away from this book is that social Darwinism, the belief that only the "fittest" (whatever that means) people among us should survive (rule, whatever), is on shaky ground. Always a morally repugnant doctrine, Hofstaedter shows social Darwinism to be logically suspect as well. As Hofstaedter points out, one can start with the social Darwinist's appropriation of (or more accurately with their failure to reckon with) the term "natural". Darwin's principle of natural selection never addressed individuals within a species, and its application to individuals is a tremendous mistake. Writing about individuals striving to be "fittest", Hofstaedter here, from the pen of Mr. Darwin himself: "People who are selfish and contentious will not cohere, and without coherence, nothing can be effected." Rugged individualism is repudiated by its supposed inventor, and is fatally wounded. One ponders the origin of the social instinct. Social Darwinists believe it to be contrived. But we were either created or selected to have it, this Darwin seems to know. And we should know it, too. Hofstaedter avoids bombast, ideology, and religion. Yet he most effectively shames any false philosopher who would trample underfoot the least of his brothers and pronounce it "inevitable", by demonstrating the fallacy of his "logic". By revealing the spurious origins and assumptions that form the foundation of the doctrine of social Darwinism, Hofstaedter undoes the false conflict between evolutionary science and Christian ethics. In the end, Mr. Landon and I agree: Five stars. If you're interested in the most significant question arising in the past couple of centuries for social science, ethics and religion, the buck stops here.
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