CHAPTER VIII.. The Evolutionist End.

THE EVOLUTIONIST END.

Necessity of inquiring into the ethical end suggested by the theory of evolution, 201 1. Adaptation to environment, 203 (a) As the end for present conduct, 207 Opposed to progress, 207 Does not fully represent evolution, 209 (b) As describing the ultimate condition of life, 210 Resultant absolute code, 211 (α) Abstract principles of social relation, 212 (β) Personal end only defined as adaptation, 213 (γ) Cannot be shown to lead to happiness, 213 (c) Insufficiency of adaptation as evolutionist end, 217 2. End suggested by the tendency to variation, 221 (a) Prescribes self-development rather than self-preservation, 222 (b) Standard for measuring development found in complexity of act and motive, 227 (α) Antinomy between social and individual ends, 231 (β) Psychological defects, 232 3. Development or increase of life as the end, 236 (a) Subjective standard: most persistent impulses, 242 Cannot define life without an objective standard, 244 (b) Objective standard: defined in two ways, 247 (α) Conformity to the type, 248 Which can be reduced to-- (β) Abundance and variety of vital power, 251 That is, to the subjective standard, 253 Summary as to the evolutionist end, 256 (a) Difficulty of reconciling individual and social ends, 256 (b) Hedonistic interpretation of evolution not possible, 257 (c) No independent ethical ideal, 259