evolution and ethics and other essays-第8章

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from　which　it　sprang；　and；　like　it；　endowed　with　the　potentiality　of
giving　rise　to　a　similar　cycle　of　manifestations。　Neither　the　poetic
nor　the　scientific　imagination　is　put　to　much　strain　in　the　search
after　analogies　with　this　process　of　going　forth　and；　as　it　were；
returning　to　the　starting…point。　It　may　be　likened　to　the　ascent　and
descent　of　a　slung　stone；　or　the　course　of　an　arrow　along　its
trajectory。　Or　we　may　say　that　the　living　energy　takes　first　an　upward
and　then　a　downward　road。　Or　it　may　seem　preferable　to　compare　the
expansion　of　the　germ　into　the　full…grown　plant；　to　the　unfolding　of　a
fan；　or　to　the　rolling　forth　and　widening　of　a　stream；　and　thus　to
arrive　at　the　conception　of　〃development；〃　or　〃evolution。〃　Here；　as
elsewhere；　names　are　〃noise　and　smoke〃；　the　important　point　is　to　have
a　clear　and　adequate　conception　of　the　fact　signified　by　a　name。　And；
in　this　case；　the　fact　is　the　Sisyphaean　process；　in　the　course　of
which；　the　living　and　growing　plant　passes　from　the　relative
simplicity　and　latent　potentiality　of　the　seed　to　the　full　epiphany　of
a　highly　differentiated　type；　thence　to　fall　back　to　simplicity　and
potentiality。

＇49＇　The　value　of　a　strong　intellectual　grasp　of　the　nature　of　this
process　lies　in　the　circumstance　that　what　is　true　of　the　bean　is　true
of　living　things　in　general。　From　very　low　forms　up　to　the　highestin
the　animal　no　less　than　in　the　vegetable　kingdomthe　process　of　life
presents　the　same　appearance　＇Note　1＇　of　cyclical　evolution。　Nay；　we
have　but　to　cast　our　eyes　over　the　rest　of　the　world　and　cyclical
change　presents　itself　on　all　sides。　　It　meets　us　in　the　water　that
flows　to　the　sea　and　returns　to　the　springs；　in　the　heavenly　bodies
that　wax　and　wane；　go　and　return　to　their　places；　in　the　inexorable
sequence　of　the　ages　of　man's　life；　in　that　successive　rise；　apogee；
and　fall　of　dynasties　and　of　states　which　is　the　most　prominent　topic
of　civil　history。

As　no　man　fording　a　swift　stream　can　dip　his　foot　twice　into　the　same
water；　so　no　man　can；　with　exactness；　affirm　of　anything　in　the
sensible　world　that　it　is。＇Note　2＇　As　he　utters　the　words；　nay；　as　he
thinks　them；　the　predicate　ceases　to　be　applicable；　the　present　has
become　the　past；　the　〃is〃　should　be　〃was。〃　And　the　more　we　learn　of
the　nature　of　things；　the　more　evident　is　it　that　what　we　call　rest　is
only　unperceived　activity；　that　seeming　peace　is　silent　but　strenuous
battle。　In　every　part；　at　every　moment；　the　state　of　the　cosmos　is　the
expression　of　a　transitory　adjustment　of　contending　forces；　a　scene；
of　strife；　in　which　all　the　combatants　fall　in　turn。　What　is　＇50＇　true
of　each　part；　is　true　of　the　whole。　Natural　knowledge　tends　more　and
more　to　the　conclusion　that　〃all　the　choir　of　heaven　and　furniture　of
the　earth〃　are　the　transitory　forms　of　parcels　of　cosmic　substance
wending　along　the　road　of　evolution；　from　nebulous　potentiality；
through　endless　growths　of　sun　and　planet　and　satellite；　through　all
varieties　of　matter；　through　infinite　diversities　of　life　and　thought；
possibly；　through　modes　of　being　of　which　we　neither　have　a
conception；　nor　are　competent　to　form　any；　back　to　the　indefinable
latency　from　which　they　arose。　Thus　the　most　obvious　attribute　of　the
cosmos　is　its　impermanence。　It　assumes　the　aspect　not　so　much　of　a
permanent　entity　as　of　a　changeful　process　in　which　naught　endures
save　the　flow　of　energy　and　the　rational　order　which　pervades　it。

We　have　climbed　our　bean…stalk　and　have　reached　a　wonderland　in　which
the　common　and　the　familiar　become　things　new　and　strange。　In　the
exploration　of　the　cosmic　process　thus　typified；　the　highest
intelligence　of　man　finds　inexhaustible　employment；　giants　are　subdued
to　our　service；　and　the　spiritual　affections　of　the　contemplative
philosopher　are　engaged　by　beauties　worthy　of　eternal　constancy。

But　there　is　another　aspect　of　the　cosmic　process；　so　perfect　as　a
mechanism；　so　beautiful　as　a　work　of　art。　Where　the　cosmopoietic　energy
＇51＇　works　through　sentient　beings；　there　arises；　among　its　other
manifestations；　that　which　we　call　pain　or　suffering。　This　baleful
product　of　evolution　increases　in　quantity　and　in　intensity；　with
advancing　grades　of　animal　organization；　until　it　attains　its　highest
level　in　man。　Further；　the　consummation　is　not　reached　in　man；　the
mere　animal；　nor　in　man；　the　whole　or　half　savage；　but　only　in　man；
the　member　of　an　organized　polity。　And　it　is　a　necessary　consequence
of　his　attempt　to　live　in　this　way；　that　is；　under　those　conditions
which　are　essential　to　the　full　development　of　his　noblest　powers。

Man；　the　animal；　in　fact；　has　worked　his　way　to　the　headship　of　the
sentient　world；　and　has　become　the　superb　animal　which　he　is；　in
virtue　of　his　success　in　the　struggle　for　existence。　The　conditions
having　been　of　a　certain　order；　man's　organization　has　adjusted　itself
to　them　better　than　that　of　his　competitors　in　the　cosmic　strife。　In
the　case　of　mankind；　the　self…assertion；　the　unscrupulous　seizing　upon
all　that　can　be　grasped；　the　tenacious　holding　of　all　that　can　be
kept；　which　constitute　the　essence　of　the　struggle　for　existence；　have
answered。　For　his　successful　progress；　throughout　the　savage　state；
man　has　been　largely　indebted　to　those　qualities　which　he　shares　with
the　ape　and　the　tiger；　his　exceptional　physical　organization；　his
cunning；　his　sociability；　his　curiosity；　and　his　imitativeness；　his
ruthless　and　＇52＇　ferocious　destructiveness　when　his　anger　is　roused
by　opposition。

But；　in　proportion　as　men　have　passed　from　anarchy　to　social
organization；　and　in　proportion　as　civilization　has　grown　in　worth；
these　deeply　ingrained　serviceable　qualities　have　become　defects。
After　the　manner　of　successful　persons；　civilized　man　would　gladly
kick　down　the　ladder　by　which　he　has　climbed。　He　would　be　only　too
pleased　to　see　〃the　ape　and　tiger　die。〃　But　they　decline　to　suit　his
convenience；　and　the　unwelcome　intrusion　of　these　boon　companions　of
his　hot　youth　into　the　ranged　existence　of　civil　life　adds　pains　and
griefs；　innumerable　and　immeasurably　great；　to　those　which　the　cosmic
process　necessarily　brings　on　the　mere　animal。　In　fact；　civilized　man
brands　all　these　ape　and　tiger　promptings　with　the　name　of　sins；　he
punishes　many　of　the　acts　which　flow　from　them　as　crimes；　and；　in
extreme　cases；　he　does　his　best　to　put　an　end　to　the　survival　of　the
fittest　of　former　days　by　axe　and　rope。

I　have　said　that　civilized　man　has　reached　this　point；　the　assertion
is　perhaps　too　broad　and　general；　I　had　better　put　it　that　ethical　man
has　attained　thereto。　The　science　of　ethics　professes　to　furnish　us
with　a　reasoned　rule　of　life；　to　tell　us　what　is　right　action　and　why
it　is　so。　　Whatever　differences　of　opinion　may　exist　among　experts
there　is　a　general　consensus　that　the　ape　and　＇53＇　tiger　methods　of
the　struggle　for　existence　are　not　reconcilable　with　sound　ethical
principles。

The　hero　of　our　story　descended　the　bean…stalk；　and　came　back　to　the
common　world；　where　fare　and　work　were　alike　hard；　where　ugly
competitors　were　much　commoner　than　beautiful　princesses；　and　where
the　everlasting　battle　with　self　was　much　less　sure　to　be　crowned　with
victory　than　a　turn…to　with　a　giant。　We　have　done　the　like。　Thousands
upon　thousands　of　our　fellows；　thousands　of　years　ago；　have　preceded
us　in　finding　themselves　face　to　face　with　the　same　dread　problem　of
evil。　They　also　have　seen　that　the　cosmic　process　is　evolution；　that
it　is　full　of　wonder；　full　of　beauty；　and；　at　the　same　time；　full　of
pain。　They　have　sought　to　discover　the　bearing　of　these　great　facts　on
ethics；　to　find　out　whether　there　is；　or　is　not；　a　sanction　for
morality　in　the　ways　of　the　cosmos。

Theories　of　the　universe；　in　which　the　conception　of　evolution　plays　a
leading　part；　were　extant　at　least　six　centuries　before　our　era。
Certain　knowledge　of　them；　in　the　fifth　century；　reaches　us　from
localities　as　distant　as　the　valley　of　the　Ganges　and　the　Asiatic
coasts　of　the　Aegean。　To　the　early　philosophers　of　Hindostan；　no　less
than　to　those　of　Ionia；　the　salient　and　characteristic　feature　of　the
phenomenal　world　was　its　＇54＇　changefulness；　the　unresting　flow　of　all
things；　through　birth　to　visible　being　and　thence　to　not　being；　in
which　they　could　discern　no　sign　of　a　beginning　and　for　which　they　saw
no　prospect　of　an　ending。　It　was　no　less　plain　to　some　of　these
antique　forerunners　of　modern　philosophy　that　suffering　is　the　badge
of　all　the　tribe　of　sentient　things；　that　it　is　no　accidental
accompaniment；　but　an　essential　constituent　of　the　cosmic　process。　The
energetic　Greek　might　find　fierce　joys　in　a　world　in　which　〃strife　is
father　and　king；〃　but　the　old　Aryan　spirit　was　subdued　to　quietism　in
the　Indian　sage；　the　mist　of　suffering　which　spread　over　humanity　hid
everything　else　from　his　view；　to　him　life　was　one　with　suffering　and
suffering　with　life。

In　Hindostan；　as　in　Ionia；　a　period　of　relatively　high　and　tolerably
stable　civilization　had　succeeded　long　ages　of　semi…barbarism　and
struggle。　Out　of　wealth　and　security　had　come　leisure　and　refinement；
and；　close　at　their　heels；　had　followed　the　malady　of　thought。　To　the
struggle　for　bare　existence；　which　never　ends；　though　it　may　be
alleviated　and　partially　disguised　for　a　fortunate　few；　succeeded　the
struggle　to　make　existence　intelligible　and　to　bring　the　order　of
things　into　harmony　with　the　moral　sense　of　man；　which　also　never
ends；　but；　for　the　thinking　few；　becomes　keen　er　with　every　increase
of　knowledge　and　with　every　step　towards　the　realization　of　a　worthy
ideal　of　life。

＇55＇　Two　thousand　five　hundred　years　ago；　the　value　of　civilization　was
as　apparent　as　it　is　now；　then；　as　now；　it　was　obvious　that　only　in
the　garden　of　an　orderly　polity　can　the　finest　fruits　humanity　is
capable　of　bearing　be　produced。　But　it　had　also　become　evident　that
the　blessings　of　culture　were　not　unmixed。　The　garden　was　apt　to　turn
into　a　hothouse。　The　stimulation　of　the　senses；　the　pampering　of　the
emotions；　endlessly　multiplied　the　sources　of　pleasure。　The　constant
widening　of　the　intellectual　field　indefinitely　extended　the　range　of
that　especially　human　faculty　of　looking　before　and　after；　which　adds
to　the　fleeting　present　those　old　and　new　worlds　of　the　past　and　the
future；　wherein　men　dwell　the　more　the　higher　their　culture。　　But　that
very　sharpening　of　the　sense　and　that　subtle　refinement　of　emotion；
which　brought　such　a　wealth　of　pleasures；　were　fatally　attended　by　a
proportional　enlargement　of　the　capacity　for　suffering；　and　the　divine
faculty　of　imagination；　while　it　created　new　heavens　and　new　earths；
provided　them　with　the　corresponding　hells　of　futile　regret　for　the
past　and　morbid　anxiety　for　the　future。　＇Note　3＇　Finally；　the
inevitable　penalty　of　over…stimulation；　exhaustion；　opened　the　gates
of　civilization　to　its　great　enemy；　ennui；　the　stale　and　flat
weariness　when　man　delights…not；　nor　woman　neither；　when　all　things
are　vanity　and　vexation；　and　life　seems　not　worth　living　except　to
escape　the　bore　of　dying。

＇56＇　Even　purely　intellectual　progress　brings　about　its　revenges。
Problems　settled　in　a　rough　and　ready　way　by　rude　men；　absorbed　in
action；　de