Herbert Spencer was a prominent English philosopher and sociologist known for his influence on various fields, including biology and sociology. His ideas laid the groundwork for the concept of social Darwinism, which applied the principles of natural selection to human societies. He believed that society evolves just like living organisms, through a process of differentiation and integration. His work emphasized individualism and the importance of competition in driving societal progress. Spencer's contributions to philosophy included the development of a comprehensive framework for understanding progress in human societies. He argued that societies evolve from simple to complex forms, a theoretical approach he termed "the survival of the fittest." This perspective not only affected sociology but also impacted political thought, leading to debates about social policy and welfare in the context of natural law and individual rights. Despite his significant contributions, Spencer's theories have been criticized for their deterministic implications. Scholars have pointed out that his analogies between biological and social evolution oversimplify complex social behaviors and ignore the role of culture and cooperation in human development. Nevertheless, Spencer's legacy endures in the discussions of social structure and evolution, and he remains a key figure in the history of social theory.