Place of Individual Purpose in Evolution 



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and the line of tradition may directly and most strikingly 

 reflect the purposes and attainments of individuals. This 

 has already been touched upon in the section on ' Intel- 

 ligent Direction ' (Chap. X. 4). Of course so far as 

 it is true that the line of tradition really precedes and 

 sets the direction of the line of physical evolution, by put- 

 ting a premium upon the educability and plasticity of 

 individuals, in so far the organization of the intelligent 

 purposes of individuals in social and traditional forms 

 would be real and on this definition teleological. But the 

 distinction should be clearly made that this is a factor 

 operative inside the movement itself, through conscious 

 function considered as a character preserved and devel- 

 oped in connection with the brain, and that the larger 

 question of a teleological movement as evolution in gen- 

 eral remains still to answer. That such a movement is 

 possible even without this factor is argued above ; yet it is 

 natural to look upon the class of phenomena which show 

 the mind taking part in the determination of natural evolu- 

 tion as being in some way in harmony with, or as further- 

 ing, the operation of the larger Purpose which a theory of 

 cosmic teleology postulates. 



