Rvohition and Faith 



prosperity at the cost of future progress and 

 survival. For, when conditions change, as they 

 surely will, the dominant form pays the penalty 

 of extreme adaptation and over-specialization.^ 

 The dominant human form is almost necessarily 

 selfish. Selfishness and sin are the supreme blun- 

 ders and follies. 



The fittest have developed the power of great- 

 est capacities and largest possibilities. They 

 have always kept open the door to future prog- 

 ress. Toward this they press. They have as- 

 sured future success and the supremacy of their 

 descendants at the loss of many v^ery real ad- 

 vantages and in the face of difficulties and 

 hardships. Their experiment must always seem 

 doomed to failure in the eyes of the superficial 

 observer. Arguments in its favor must sound 

 unpractical and quixotic. Future generations 

 demonstrate their wisdom and true success. 



We have seen that the fittest animals followed 

 the upward path through no choice or superior 

 intelligence, but only under severe pressure. 

 They were shut up to it, and crowded into it. 



1 Cope, E. D., "Primary Factors," p. 172. "Law of the 

 Unspecialized." 



119 



