Biology Evolution ETEA 2022
PMDC Verified Question 29 of 47
The term 'survival of the fittest' was used by:
A
Lamarck
B
Herbert Spencer
C
Darwin
D
Mayr
Tap any option to test your recall and reveal the step-by-step Propolis autopsy.

Propolis Cognitive Error Autopsy

Official Correct Choice:
Option B: Herbert Spencer
Concept:

The term "survival of the fittest" refers to the reproductive success of organisms best suited to their environment. It is closely associated with natural selection.

Solution:

  • British philosopher and sociologist Herbert Spencer first coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" after reading Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species.
  • He applied this concept to human societies and economics, a doctrine later known as Social Darwinism.
  • Darwin later adopted the phrase in the 5th edition of his book as a synonym for natural selection.


Why other options are incorrect:

  • Darwin: Formulated the theory of natural selection but did not coin this specific phrase.
  • Lamarck: Known for the theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics.
  • Mayr: A prominent 20th-century evolutionary biologist known for the biological species concept.

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