364 THE GRAMMAR OF SCIENCE 



the pessimism of some of our modern biologists. Here, 

 in a few words, are the views of Haeckel : — 



" Darwinism is anything but socialistic. If a definite political 

 tendency be attributed to this English theory — which is, indeed, 

 possible — this tendency can only be aristocratic, certainly not demo- 

 cratic, and least of all socialistic. The theory of selection teaches 

 us that in human life, exactly as in animal and plant life, at each 

 place and time only a small privileged minority can continue to 

 exist and flourish; the great mass must starve and" more or less 

 prematurely perish in misery. Innumerable are the germs of every 

 form of animal and plant life, and the young individuals which spring 

 from these germs. The number of fortunate individuals, on the 

 other hand, who develop to their full age and actually attain their 

 goal in life is out of all proportion small. The cruel and relentless 

 struggle for existence which rages throughout all living Nature, and 

 in accordance with Nature must rage, this ceaseless and pitiless 

 competition of all living things, is an undeniable fact ; only the 

 select minority of the privileged fit is in a position to successfully 

 survive this competition, the great majority of competitors must 

 meanwhile of necessity perish miserably ! We may deeply mourn 

 this tragic fact, but we cannot deny or alter it. ' Many are 

 called, but few are chosen ! ' This selection, this picking out of the 

 chosen is necessarily combined with the languishing and perishing 

 of the remaining majority. Another English investigator even 

 denotes the kernel of Darwinism as ' the survival of the fittest,' the 

 ' triumph of the best.' Obviously the principle of selection is any- 

 thing but democratic, it is aristocratic in the precise sense of the 

 word." 1 



Spencer and Huxley have taught much the same gospel. 

 Yet, if the creed of science be based on this law of evolu- 

 tion, how can it inculcate aught but pessimism for the 

 weak, how can it ever be the faith of any but the 

 privileged few ? I venture to think that the view of the 

 survival of the fittest propounded by Haeckel is in reality 

 a very insufficient analysis, and that it requires much 

 qualifying statement. 



The struggle for existence involves not only the 

 struggle of individual man against individual man, but 

 also the struggle of individual society against individual 

 society, as well as the struggle of the totality of humanity 

 with its organic and inorganic environment. To include 

 these omitted factors might at first sight appear only to 



^ Freie Wisseiischaft itnd freie Lehre, S. 73- 



