THE GOAL OF EVOLUTION 237 



The basic characteristics and potential powers of the hu- 

 man mind were traced through their origin in the evolution 

 of animal intelligence. Nowhere in the long ascent from 

 protozoa to man could it be said, "at this point intelligence 

 enters." Even the great powers of conceptual thought and 

 sy^mbolism are not unique in the mind of man, for we found 

 a lesser counterpart in the minds of other primates and even 

 in the remarkable accomplishments of the honeybee. Man's 

 mind, we found, is merely a superlative expression of a trend 

 toward greater mentality. The same sort of continuity 

 showed clearly in the evolution of man's societies and of his 

 morals. His ethics, his social tendencies, his mentality, and 

 his body arose imperceptibly and gradually through billions 

 of years, evolving along with all the other configurations of 

 the cosmos; each manifestation is traceable backward to the 

 underlying origins of the realm of life, to the natural and in- 

 nate organizing potentials of the mind-matter-energy sub- 

 strate. 



As the survey progressed, it became apparent that the 

 complexity of the configurations necessary for the appear- 

 ance of the higher levels of organization was increasing at 

 such rates as to make each additional stage less and less prob- 

 able. It would seem that this is a critical principle in the evo- 

 lutionary process. Beginning with the exceedingly rare 

 characteristics necessary for a stage (namely, the earth) on 

 which life might appear attention was called again and again 

 to increasingly intricate configurations, each absolutely nec- 

 essary before the next higher level could be reached. The 

 preconditions extend all the way to man and his social life, 

 and even then to the problematic organization of a truly 

 peaceful and successful society. Throughout the account 

 we found that nature, on the standard of high-level under- 

 standing, was nearly always failing and that endless kinds of 

 organisms were drifting toward evolutionary blind alleys 

 and eventual extinction. Thus far nature has partially suc- 

 ceeded here on this earth only with man. 



