Ihavepointedoutthathumansocietytookitsriseintheorganicnecessitiesexpressedbyimitationandbythesympatheticemotions; andthat, inthestruggleforexistencewiththestateofnatureandwithothersocieties, aspartofit, thoseinwhichmenwerethusledtocloseco-operationbadagreatadvantage.[1]But,sinceeachmanretainedmoreorlessofthefacultiescommontoalltherest, andespeciallyafullshareofthedesireforunlimitedself-gratification, , societycontinuedtobeanimperfectinstrumentofthestruggleforexistenceand, consequently, , thetribeofsavagesinwhichorderwasbestmaintained; inwhichtherewasmostsecuritywithinthetribeandthemostloyalmutualsupportoutsideit, wouldbethesurvivors.
Ihavetermedthisgradualstrengtheningofthesocialbond, which, thoughitarrestthestruggleforexistenceinsidesociety, uptoacertainpointimprovesthechancesofsociety, asacorporatewhole,inthecosmicstruggle—, whentheethicalprocesshasadvancedsofarastosecureeverymemberofthesocietyinthepossessionofthemeansofexistence,thestruggleforexistence, asbetweenmanandman,withinthatsocietyis, ipsofacto, , asitisundeniablethatthemosthighlycivilizedsocietieshavesubstantiallyreachedthisposition, itfollowsthat, sofarastheyareconcerned, thestruggleforexistencecanplaynoimportantpartwithinthem.[2]Inotherwords, thekindofevolutionwhichisbroughtaboutinthestateofnaturecannottakeplace.
Ihavefurthershowncauseforthebeliefthatdirectselection, afterthefashionofthehorticulturistandthebreeder, neitherhasplayed, norcanplay, anyimportantpartintheevolutionofsociety; apartfromotherreasons, becauseIdonotseehowsuchselectioncouldbepractisedwithoutaseriousweakening, itmaybethedestruction, , theunfortunate, andthesuperfluous; whojustifythatconductonthegroundthatithasthesanctionofthecosmicprocess, andistheonlywayofensuringtheprogressoftherace; who, iftheyareconsistent,mustrankmedicineamongtheblackartsandcountthephysicianamischievouspreserveroftheunfit;onwhosematrimonialundertakingstheprinciplesofthestudhavethechiefinfluence; whosewholelives, therefore, areaneducationinthenobleartofsuppressingnaturalaffectionandsympathy, , withoutthem, thereisnoconscience, noranyrestraintontheconductofmen, exceptthecalculationofself-interest, thebalancingofcertainpresentgratificationsagainstdoubtfulfuturepains; ,weseefirmbelieversinthehellofthetheologianscommitactsbywhich, astheybelievewhencool, theyrisketernalpunishment; whiletheyholdbackfromthosewhichamopposedtothesympathiesoftheirassociates.
[1] CollectedEssays, vol.v., Prologue, p.52.
[2] Whetherthestruggleforexistencewiththestateofnatureandwithothersocieties, sofarastheystandintherelationofthestateofnaturewithit, exertsaselectiveinfluenceuponmodernsociety, andinwhatdirection, .
