〃Brahma〃 and 〃Atman；〃 and that； in stoical practice； the adoption of
the life of the mendicant cynic was held to be more a counsel of
perfection than an indispensable condition of the higher life。
Thus the extremes touch。 Greek thought and ＇77＇ Indian thought set out
from ground common to both； diverge widely； develop under very
different physical and moral conditions； and finally converge to
practically the same end。
The Vedas and the Homeric epos set before us a world of rich and
vigorous life； full of joyous fighting men
That ever with a frolic welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine 。。。。
and who were ready to brave the very Gods themselves when their blood
was up。 A few centuries pass away； and under the influence of
civilization the descendants of these men are 〃sicklied o'er with the
pale cast of thought〃frank pessimists； or； at best； make…believe
optimists。 The courage of the warlike stock may be as hardly tried as
before； perhaps more hardly； but the enemy is self。 The hero has
become a monk。 The man of action is replaced by the quietist； whose
highest aspiration is to be the passive instrument of the divine
Reason。 By the Tiber； as by the Ganges； ethical man admits that the
cosmos is too strong for him； and； destroying every bond which ties
him to it by ascetic discipline； he seeks salvation in absolute
renunciation。＇Note 18＇
Modern thought is making a fresh start from the base whence Indian and
Greek philosophy set out； and； the human mind being very much what
＇78＇ it was six…and…twenty centuries ago； there is no ground for
wonder if it presents indications of a tendency to move along the old
lines to the same results。
We are more than sufficiently familiar with modern pessimism； at least
as a speculation； for I cannot call to mind that any of its present
votaries have sealed their faith by assuming the rags and the bowl of
the mendicant Bhikku； or the cloak and the wallet of the Cynic。 The
obstacles placed in the way of sturdy vagrancy by an unphilosophical
police have； perhaps； proved too formidable for philosophical
consistency。 We also know modern speculative optimism； with its
perfectibility of the species； reign of peace； and lion and lamb
transformation scenes； but one does not hear so much of it as one did
forty years ago； indeed； I imagine it is to be met with more commonly
at the tables of the healthy and wealthy； than in the congregations of
the wise。 The majority of us； I apprehend； profess neither pessimism
nor optimism。 We hold that the world is neither so good； nor so bad；
as it conceivably might be； and； as most of us have reason； now and
again； to discover that it can be。 Those who have failed to experience
the joys that make life worth living are； probably； in as small a
minority as those who have never known the griefs that rob existence
of its savour and turn its richest fruits into mere dust and ashes。
＇79＇ Further； I think I do not err in assuming that； however diverse
their views on philosophical and religious matters； most men are
agreed that the proportion of good and evil in life may be very
sensibly affected by human action。 I never heard anybody doubt that
the evil may be thus increased； or diminished； and it would seem to
follow that good must be similarly susceptible of addition or
subtraction。 Finally； to my knowledge； nobody professes to doubt that；
so far forth as we possess a power of bettering things； it is our
paramount duty to use it and to train all our intellect and energy to
this supreme service of our kind。
Hence the pressing interest of the question； to what extent modern
progress in natural knowledge； and； more especially； the general
outcome of that progress in the doctrine of evolution； is competent to
help us in the great work of helping one another？
The propounders of what are called the 〃ethics of evolution；〃 when the
〃evolution of ethics〃 would usually better express the object of their
speculations； adduce a number of more or less interesting facts and
more or less sound arguments in favour of the origin of the moral
sentiments； in the same way as other natural phenomena； by a process
of evolution。 I have little doubt； for my own part； that they are on
the right track； but as the immoral sentiments have no less been
evolved； there is； so far； as much natural sanction for the ＇80＇ one
as the other。 The thief and the murderer follow nature just as much as
the philanthropist。 Cosmic evolution may teach us how the good and the
evil tendencies of man may have come about； but； in itself； it is
incompetent to furnish any better reason why what we call good is
preferable to what we call evil than we had before。 Some day； I doubt
not； we shall arrive at an understanding of the evolution of the
Aesthetic faculty； but all the understanding in the world will neither
increase nor diminish the force of the intuition that this is
beautiful and that is ugly。
There is another fallacy which appears to me to pervade the so…called
〃ethics of evolution。〃 It is the notion that because； on the whole；
animals and plants have advanced in perfection of organization by
means of the struggle for existence and the consequent 〃survival of
the fittest；〃 therefore men in society； men as ethical beings； must
look to the same process to help them towards perfection。 I suspect
that this fallacy has arisen out of the unfortunate ambiguity of the
phrase 〃survival of the fittest。〃 〃Fittest〃 has a connotation of
〃best；〃 and about 〃best〃 there hangs a moral flavour。 In cosmic
nature； however； what is 〃fittest〃 depends upon the conditions。 Long
since ＇Note 19＇； I ventured to point out that if our hemisphere were
to cool again； the survival of the fittest might bring about； in the
vegetable kingdom； a population of more and more stunted and humbler
＇81＇ and humbler organisms； until the 〃fittest〃 that survived might be
nothing but lichens； diatoms； and such microscopic organisms as those
which give red snow its colour； while； if it became hotter； the
pleasant valleys of the Thames and Isis might； be uninhabitable by any
animated beings save those that flourish in a tropical jungle。 They；
as the fittest； the best adapted to the changed conditions； would
survive。
Men in society are undoubtedly subject to the cosmic process。 As among
other animals； multiplication goes on without cessation； and involves
severe competition for the means of support。 The struggle for
existence tends to eliminate those less fitted to adapt themselves to
the circumstances of their existence。 The strongest； the most
self…assertive； tend to tread down the weaker。 But the influence of
the cosmic process on the evolution of society is the greater the more
rudimentary its civilization。 Social progress means a checking of the
cosmic； process at every step and the substitution for it of another；
which may be called the ethical process； the end of which is not the
survival of those who may happen to be the fittest； in respect of the
whole of the conditions which obtain； but of those who are ethically
the best。＇Note 20＇
As I have already urged； the practice of that which is ethically
bestwhat we call goodness or virtueinvolves a course of conduct
which； in all ＇82＇ respects； is opposed to that which leads to success
in the cosmic struggle for existence。 In place of ruthless
self…assertion it demands self…restraint； in place of thrusting aside；
or treading down； all competitors； it requires that the individual
shall not merely respect； but shall help his fellows； its influence is
directed； not so much to the survival of the fittest； as to the
fitting of as many as possible to survive。 It repudiates the
gladiatorial theory of existence。 It demands that each man who enters
into the enjoyment of the advantages of a polity shall be mindful of
his debt to those who have laboriously constructed it； and shall take
heed that no act of his weakens the fabric in which he has been
permitted to live。 Laws and moral precepts are directed to the end of
curbing the cosmic process and reminding the individual of his duty to
the community； to the protection and influence of which he owes； if
not existence itself； at least the life of something better than a
brutal savage。
It is from neglect of these plain considerations that the fanatical
individualism ＇Note 21＇ of our time attempts to apply the analogy of
cosmic nature to society。 Once more we have a misapplication of the
stoical injunction to follow nature； the duties of the individual to
the state are forgotten； and his tendencies to self…assertion are
dignified by the name of rights。 It is seriously debated whether the
members of a community are justified in using ＇83＇ their combined
strength to constrain one of their number to contribute his share to
the maintenance of it； or even to prevent him from doing his best to
destroy it。 The struggle for existence which has done such admirable
work in cosmic nature； must； it appears； be equally beneficent in the
ethical sphere。 Yet if that which I have insisted upon is true； if the
cosmic process has no sort of relation to moral ends； if the imitation
of it by man is inconsistent with the first princ