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» Second-hand books
Herbert Spencer and the Invention of Modern Life
by Mark Francis
The ideas of the English philosopher Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) have shaped evolutionary theory, philosophy of science, sociology and politics. He was a colossus of the Victorian age, and his works ranked alongside those of Darwin and Marx in the development of disciplines as wide ranging as sociology, anthropology, political theory, philosophy and psychology. His unique system of knowledge, which bridged the gap between empiricism and metaphysics, offered modern and scientific answers to questions about the meaning of life and made him a world philosopher of the late nineteenth century. In this major new study of Spencer, the first for over thirty years, Mark Francis provides an authoritative and meticulously researched intellectual biography of one of the giants of the Victorian age. Using archival material and contemporary printed sources, Francis creates a fascinating portrait of a human being whose philosophical and scientific system was a unique attempt to explain modern life in all its biological, psychological and sociological forms. European thinkers had often aspired to systematize knowledge, but Spencer was the only English figure to do so. Yet the grandeur of his scientific account of the universe was not underpinned by a successful personal life. Francis reveals how Spencer felt permanently crippled by the Christian values he had absorbed during childhood, and was incapable of romantic love, as he was during his relationship with the novelist George Eliot. Francis shows that this schism between a failed personal life and his own triumphant account of human progress forced Spencer into the role of a futuristic prophet. Although there was no solace for him, he could gift new generations with knowledge that would help them avoid distress and pain. Herbert Spencer and the Invention of Modern Life fills what is perhaps the last big biographical gap in Victorian history. An exceptional work of scholarship, it not only dispels the plethora of misinformation surrounding Spencer but shines new light on the broader cultural history of the nineteenth century. Elegantly written, provocative and rich in insight, it will be required reading for all students of the period.
19 Used & Rare copies available from £21.48
Displaying results 1 to 19 of 19
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- Pumpkin Wholesale Ltd
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- £21.48
Herbert Spencer and the Invention of Modern Life.
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- Tenyo Books
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- £26.05
Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 434 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade.
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- Shomco, inc.
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- £27.72
Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 434 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade.
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- RCBOOKS
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- £32.67
New copy, no remainder marks.
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- A Green Hippo
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- £35.00
Please note that deliveries to addresses in the UK and Europe will be in 4-14 business days. Other countries should refer to Alibris standard times. ISBN10: 1844650863.
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- Paperbackshop
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- £35.79
The ideas of the English philosopher Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) have shaped evolutionary theory, philosophy of science, sociology and politics. This work aims to dispel the plethora of misinformation surrounding Spencer, throwing light on the broader...
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- Symposium Books
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- £37.02
0801445906 Some books may have remainder mark.
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- Books Express USA
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- £37.72
PLEASE NOTE: All books are promptly imported from the UK using DHL or Royal Mail international mail WITH TRACKING NUMBER. Delivery is typically 5-10 working days. Please do not select expedited shipping. Professional and reliable bookseller (est.1987).
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- ExtremelyReliable
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- £42.19
Brand New. Never Used.
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- ExtremelyReliable
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- £42.19
Brand New. Never Used.
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- ExtremelyReliable
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- £42.19
Brand New. Never Used.
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- Books Express USA
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- £43.70
PLEASE NOTE: All books are promptly imported from the UK using International Priority Airmail. Delivery is typically 5-10 working days. Please do not select expedited shipping. Heavier and more expensive items have tracking number. Professional and reliable bookseller (est.1987).
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- Paperleaf Books
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- £48.08
0801445906 Good condition. May have some markings & or shelfwear. All pages intact. Used items may not include extras such as infotrac, CD or other web access codes.
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- Paperleaf Books
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- £52.84
0801445906 Absolutely Brand New. No marks and in pristine condition. Used items may not include extras such as infotrac, CD or other web access codes.
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