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What is the belief that the fittest members of a society will survive and prosper while the weaker will not?

User Laruiss
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Final answer:

Social Darwinism is the belief that the fittest members of a society will survive and prosper while the weaker will not. It was used to justify the colonization of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. However, it is now widely discredited and seen as a misinterpretation of Darwin's theories.

Step-by-step explanation:

The belief that the fittest members of a society will survive and prosper while the weaker will not is known as social Darwinism. Social Darwinists of the 19th and 20th centuries utilized this theory to argue that competition for resources meant that "weak" human individuals should die out so that "stronger" traits could be passed down to the next generation. This belief was used to justify the colonization of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

It is important to note that while the term "survival of the fittest" is often associated with natural selection and evolution, it was actually first used by English philosopher Herbert Spencer in the context of human societies. It promoted the idea that certain groups of people were better fit to survive and conquer others. However, it is now widely discredited and seen as a misinterpretation of Darwin's theories.

User Lucas Watson
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