WHAT EVOLUTION IS 169 



and in fact that of every other social 

 organism, in a way too often over- 

 looked. All such organisms are of 

 necessity cooperative. It is inconceiv- 

 able that a social state should exist 

 otherwise; in every sound state there 

 must be cooperation between its mem- 

 bers. In fact the so-called solitary 

 animals show more or less coopera- 

 tion, and it is this primitive condition 

 that reaches a much higher level 

 of development in all social forms. 

 Wheeler has very justly emphasized 

 this feature in the life of the insects. 

 It is commonly overlooked that, among 

 most animals, cooperation is as usual 

 a form of response as competition, 

 and in social organisms, it is of neces- 

 sity a primary form of response. 



In consequence of his social pro- 

 clivities, we find, in the evolution of 

 man, a large body of permanent al- 

 truistic action which in the form of 



