evolution and ethics and other essays-第6部分

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while　he　seems　to　be　impelled　thus　to　imitate　for　the　pure　pleasure　of
it。　　And　there　is　no　such　another　emotional　chameleon。　By　a　purely
reflex　operation　of　the　mind；　we　take　the　hue　of　passion　of　those　who
are　about　us；　or；　it　may　be；　the　complementary　colour。　It　is　not　by
any　conscious　〃putting　one's　self　in　the　place〃　of　a　joyful　or　a
suffering　person　that　the　state　of　mind　we　call　sympathy　usually
arises；　*　indeed；　it　is　often　contrary　to　one's　sense　of　＇29＇　right；
and　in　spite　of　one's　will；　that　〃fellow…feeling　makes　us　wondrous
kind；〃　or　the　reverse。　However　complete　may　be　the　indifference　to
public　opinion；　in　a　cool；　intellectual　view；　of　the　traditional　sage；
it　has　not　yet　been　my　fortune　to　meet　with　any　actual　sage　who　took
its　hostile　manifestations　with　entire　equanimity。　Indeed；　I　doubt　if
the　philosopher　lives；　or　ever　has　lived　who　could　know　himself　to　be
heartily　despised　by；　a　street　boy　without　some　irritation。　And；
though　one　cannot　justify　Haman　for　wishing　to　hang　Mordecai　on　such　a
very　high　gibbet；　yet；　really；　the　consciousness　of　the　Vizier　of
Ahasuerus；　as　he　went　in　and　out　of　the　gate；　that　this　obscure　Jew
had　no　respect　for　him；　must　have　been　very　annoying。**

　　　　*　Adam　Smith　makes　the　pithy　observation　that　the　man　who
　　　　sympathises　with　a　woman　in　childbed；　cannot　be　said　to　put
　　　　himself　in　her　place。　（〃The　Theory　of　the　Moral　Sentiments；〃
　　　　Part　vii。　sec。　iii。　chap。　i。）　Perhaps　there　is　more　humour　than
　　　　force　in　the　example；　and；　in　spite　of　this　and　other
　　　　observations　of　the　same　tenor；　I　think　that　the　one　defect　of
　　　　the　remarkable　work　in　which　it　occurs　is　that　it　lays　too　much
　　　　stress　on　conscious　substitution；　too　little　on　purely　reflex
　　　　sympathy。

　　　　**　Esther　v。　9…13。　〃。　。　。　but　when　Haman　saw　Mordecai　in　the
　　　　king's　gate；　that　he　stood　not　up；　nor　moved　for　him；　he　was
　　　　full　of　indignation　against　Mordecai。　。　。　。　And　Haman　told　them
　　　　of　the　glory　of　his　riches　。　。　。　and　all　the　things　wherein　the
　　　　king　had　promoted　him　。　。　。　Yet　all　this　availeth　me　nothing；
　　　　so　long　as　I　see　Mordecai　the　Jew　sitting　at　the　king's　gate。〃
　　　　What　a　shrewd　exposure　of　human　weakness　it　is！

It　is　needful　only　to　look　around　us；　to　see　that　the　greatest
restrainer　of　the　anti…social　tendencies　of　men　is　fear；　not　of　the
law；　but　of　the　opinion　of　their　fellows。　The　conventions　of　honour
bind　men　who　break　legal；　moral；　and　religious　bonds；　and；　while
people　endure　the　extremity　of　physical　pain　rather　than　part　with
life；　shame　drives　the　weakest　to　suicide。

Every　forward　step　of　social　progress　brings　＇30＇　men　into　closer
relations　with　their　fellows；　and　increases　the　importance　of　the
pleasures　and　pains　derived　from　sympathy。　We　judge　the　acts　of　others
by　our　own　sympathies；　and　we　judge　our　own　acts　by　the　sympathies　of
others；　every　day　and　all　day　long；　from　childhood　upwards；　until
associations；　as　indissoluble　as　those　of　language；　are　formed　between
certain　acts　and　the　feelings　of　approbation　or　disapprobation。　It
becomes　impossible　to　imagine　some　acts　without　disapprobation；　or
others　without　approbation　of　the　actor；　whether　he　be　one's　self；　or
any　one　else。　We　come　to　think　in　the　acquired　dialect　of　morals。　An
artificial　personality；　the　〃man　within；〃　as　Adam　Smith*　calls
conscience；　is　built　up　beside　the　natural　personality。　He　is　the
watchman　of　society；　charged　to　restrain　the　anti…social　tendencies　of
the　natural　man　within　the　limits　required　by　social　welfare。

　　　　*　〃Theory　of　the　Moral　Sentiments；〃　Part　iii。　chap。　3。　On　the
　　　　Influence　and　Authority　of　Conscience。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XI。

I　have　termed　this　evolution　of　the　feelings　out　of　which　the
primitive　bonds　of　human　society　are　so　largely　forged；　into　the
organized　and　personified　sympathy　we　call　conscience；　the　ethical
process。*　So　far　as　it　tends　to

　　　　*　Worked　out；　in　its　essential　features；　chiefly　by　Hartley　and
　　　　Adam　Smith；　long　before　the　modern　doctrine　of　evolution　was
　　　　thought　of。　See　Note　below；　p。　45。

＇31＇　make　any　human　society　more　efficient　in　the　struggle　for
existence　with　the　state　of　nature；　or　with　other　societies；　it　works
in　harmonious　contrast　with　the　cosmic　process。　But　it　is　none　the
less　true　that；　since　law　and　morals　are　restraints　upon　the　struggle
for　existence　between　men　in　society；　the　ethical　process　is　in
opposition　to　the　principle　of　the　cosmic　process；　and　tends　to　the
suppression　of　the　qualities　best　fitted　for　success　in　that
struggle。*

　　　　*　See　the　essay　〃On　the　Struggle　for　Existence　in　Human　Society〃
　　　　below；　and　Collected　Essays；　vol。　i。　p。　276；　for　Kant's
　　　　recognition　of　these　facts。

It　is　further　to　be　observed　that；　just　as　the　self…assertion；
necessary　to　the　maintenance　of　society　against　the　state　of　nature；
will　destroy　that　society　if　it　is　allowed　free　operation　within；　so
the　self…restraint；　the　essence　of　the　ethical　process；　which　is　no
less　an　essential　condition　of　the　existence　of　every　polity；　may；　by
excess；　become　ruinous　to　it。

Moralists　of　all　ages　and　of　all　faiths；　attending　only　to　the
relations　of　men　towards　one　another　in　an　ideal　society；　have　agreed
upon　the　〃golden　rule；〃　〃Do　as　you　would　be　done　by。〃　In　other　words；
let　sympathy　be　your　guide；　put　yourself　in　the　place　of　the　man
towards　whom　your　action　is　directed；　and　do　to　him　what　you　would
like　to　have　done　to　yourself　under　the　circumstances。　However　much
one　may　admire　the　generosity　of　such　a　rule　of　＇32＇　conduct；　however
confident　one　may　be　that　average　men　may　be　thoroughly　depended　upon
not　to　carry　it　out　to　its　full　logical　consequences；　it　is
nevertheless　desirable　to　recognise　the　fact　that　these　consequences
are　incompatible　with　the　existence　of　a　civil　state；　under　any
circumstances　of　this　world　which　have　obtained；　or；　so　far　as　one　can
see；　are；　likely　to　come　to　pass。

For　I　imagine　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　great　desire　of　every
wrongdoer　is　to　escape　from　the　painful　consequences　of　his　actions。
If　I　put　myself　in　the　place　of　the　man　who　has　robbed　me；　I　find　that
I　am　possessed　by　an　exceeding　desire　not　to　be　fined　or　imprisoned；
if　in　that　of　the　man　who　has　smitten　me　on　one　cheek；　I　contemplate
with　satisfaction　the　absence　of　any　worse　result　than　the　turning　of
the　other　cheek　for　like　treatment。　　Strictly　observed；　the　〃golden
rule〃　involves　the　negation　of　law　by　the　refusal　to　put　it　in　motion
against　law…breakers；　and；　as　regards　the　external　relations　of　a
polity；　it　is　the　refusal　to　continue　the　struggle　for　existence。　It
can　be　obeyed；　even　partially；　only　under　the　protection　of　a　society
which　repudiates　it。　Without　such　shelter；　the　followers　of　the
〃golden　rule〃　may　indulge　in　hopes　of　heaven；　but　they　must　reckon　with
the　certainty　that　other　people　will　be　masters　of　the　earth。

What　would　become　of　the　garden　if　the　＇33＇　gardener　treated　all　the
weeds　and　slugs；　and　birds　and　trespassers　as　he　would　like　to　be
treated；　if　he　were　in　their　place？


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XII。

Under　the　preceding　heads；　I　have　endeavoured　to　represent　in　broad；
but　I　hope　faithful；　outlines　the　essential　features　of　the　state　of
nature　and　of　that　cosmic　process　of　which　it　is　the　outcome；　so　far
as　was　needful　for　my　argument；　I　have　contrasted　with　the　state　of
nature　the　state　of　art；　produced　by　human　intelligence　and　energy；　as
it　is　exemplified　by　a　garden；　and　I　have　shown　that　the　state　of　art；
here　and　elsewhere；　can　be　maintained　only　by　the　constant
counteraction　of　the　hostile　influences　of　the　state　of　nature。
Further；　I　have　pointed　out　that　the　〃horticultural　process；〃　which
thus　sets　itself　against　the　〃cosmic　process〃　is　opposed　to　the　latter
in　principle；　in　so　far　as　it　tends　to　arrest　the　struggle　for
existence；　by　restraining　the　multiplication　which　is　one　of　the　chief
causes　of　that　struggle；　and　by　creating　artificial　conditions　of
life；　better　adapted　to　the　cultivated　plants　than　are　the　conditions
of　the　state　of　nature。　And　I　have　dwelt　upon　the　fact　that；　though
the　progressive　modification；　which　is　the　consequence　of　the　struggle
for　existence　in　the　state　of　nature；　is　at　an　end；　such　modification
may　still　be　effected　＇34＇　by　that　selection；　in　view　of　an　ideal　of
usefulness；　or　of　pleasantness；　to　man；　of　which　the　state　of　nature
knows　nothing。

I　have　proceeded　to　show　that　a　colony；　set　down　in　a　country　in　the
state　of　nature；　presents　close　analogies　with　a　garden；　and　I　have
indicated　the　course　of　action　which　an　administrator；　able　and
willing　to　carry　out　horticultural　principles；　would　adopt；　in　order
to　secure　the　success　of　such　a　newly　formed　polity；　supposing　it　to
be　capable　of　indefinite　expansion。　In　the　contrary　case；　I　have　shown
that　difficulties　must　arise；　that　the　unlimited　increase　of　the
population　over　a　limited　area　must；　sooner　or　later；　reintroduce　into
the　colony　that　struggle　for　the　means　of　existence　between　the
colonists；　which　it　was　the　primary　object　of　the　administrator　to
exclude；　insomuch　as　it　is　fatal　to　the　mutual　peace　which　is　the
prime　condition　of　the　union　of　men　in　society。

I　have　briefly　described　the　nature　of　the　only　radical　cure；　known　to
me；　for　the　disease　which　would　thus　threaten　the　existence　of　the
colony；　and；　however　regretfully；　I　have　been　obliged　to　admit　that
this　rigorously　scientific　method　of　applying　the　principles　of
evolution　to　human　society　hardly　comes　within　the　region　of　practical
politics；　not　for　want　of　will　on　the　part　of　a　great　many　people；　but
because；　for　one　reason；　there　is　no　hope　that　mere　human　beings　will
ever　possess　enough　intelligence　to　select　the　fittest。　And　I　＇35＇
have　adduced　other　grounds　for　arriving　at　the　same　conclusion。

I　have　pointed　out　that　human　society　took　its　rise　in　the　organic
necessities　expressed　by　imitation　and　by　the　sympathetic　emotions；
and　that；　in　the　struggle　for　existence　with　the　state　of　nature　and
with　other　societies；　as　part　of　it；　those　in　which　men　were　thus　led
to　close　co…operation　bad　a　great　advantage。*　But；　since　each　man
retained　more　or　less　of　the　faculties　commo