This first volume of Herbert Spencer's collected Essays contain his most important "seminal" works. In his early essay, "The Development Hypothesis," Spencer ably defends the notion of biological evolution against challenges by creationists. This essay, from 1852, is the first in the volume, and is followed by "Progress: Its Law and Cause," Spencer's first elaboration of what he calls the General Theory of Evolution . . . which remains as controversial now as it was then, in 1857. Other highlights of this volume include "The Social Organism," "Morals and Moral Sentiments," and the essay that William James thought most highly of, "The Factors of Organic Evolution."

Many of these essays are combative in the sense that they are occasioned by criticism, and amount to defenses. This is fine. Spencer wrote many treatises. Surely he had excuse to defend his writings, especially when his thought was as complex as it was, and many people tended to read and then immediately simplify, misconstruing what he wrote, and either adopting that position (horrors! an acolyte) or rejecting it (horrors! a critic). Even these essays that are more correctives to common misconceptions and misreadings than original contributions are worth reading . . . though perhaps after one has read the works to which they refer. ( )