Question

question 9 which of the following early scientific thinkers first used the phrase \survival of the fittest\ to explain his theory of society? auguste comte emile durkheim herbert spencer

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze the contributions of each thinker:

• Auguste Comte is known as the father of sociology and focused on positivism, not the "survival of the fittest" in a societal context.
• Émile Durkheim focused on social facts, division of labor, and functionalism, not this phrase.
• Herbert Spencer applied Darwin's evolutionary concepts to society, using "survival of the fittest" to explain social evolution (social Darwinism).

Answer:

C. Herbert Spencer