Evolution and Education 441 



The flea is in its way as successful as is the elephant and need 

 not " improve " to hold its own. 



Further evolution at any point may produce variants 

 without further elaboration of structures and functions; 

 or it may produce further specialization; or it may pro- 

 duce a regression with adaptation to a relatively simpler 

 or more secure environment. In the history of mankind, 

 also, there are evidences of arrested development, long 

 stretches of stagnation, and even of backsliding. 



There is nevertheless the possibility, from a human point 

 of view, of bending the current to our purposes. Man has 

 attained a consciousness of values. He realizes that some 

 things in life are worth more than others. He has also at- 

 tained a confidence in his own mastery of the world through 

 a growing knowledge of how things work. We are able to 

 consider as object of endeavor the reshaping of the world 

 to serve our purposes. We are able to consider even " race 

 betterment." Thus has the advent of an evolutionary out- 

 look made us face the future somewhat differently. We come 

 to see that although change is the order of nature and of 

 life, there is no special virtue in the new merely because of 

 its novelty. On the other hand, we see that there is no oc- 

 casion for being always fearful of the new. There are values 

 in the already achieved, which should perhaps be retained; 

 but not merely because they are old and familiar, for that 

 would mean merely because we are too comfortable or too 

 tired to negotiate a change. This general view of evolution 

 as change applies to our dealing^ with concrete situations and 

 problems, and it applies in the realm of ideas and ideals. It is 

 necessary to examine all things as they come, on their merits, 

 without prejudice and without predilection. 



Evolution and Education 



The diffusion of the evolutionary viewpoint means the 

 gradual passing of the absolute. In relation to truth, it means 

 an increasing concern with more satisfying methods of pur- 



