CH. xvn METAPHYSICS OF NATURAL SELECTION 199 



We must also distinguish between the biological 

 view of man where natural selection is most likely 

 to be at home the sociological view, and the moral 

 view. Man is still an animal, an organism, though he 

 is also a citizen and a moral agent. 



First then, biologically, does natural selection apply 

 to man ? 1 



The Struggle with the Beasts. When we read in 

 the Bible of man's dominion over the creatures, we 

 naturally think of domesticated animals, or of those 

 wild species which man and woman make use of for 

 food, clothing, ornament, etc. But man's supremacy 

 over savage and powerful animals is a far more wonder- 

 ful fact. There must have been a period of sharp 

 conflict. Even in the Old Testament (to quote it 

 again) we have traces of the dread lest wild beasts 

 should gain the upper hand, and make human life 

 heavy with torturing anxiety. The conflict ended how- 

 ever in a decided victory for the seemingly weak race of 

 man. His dominion became a reality. His fear and 

 the dread of him affected even the most formidable 

 among his animal subjects. It was fixed that his life 

 should follow its regular course, unhindered on any 

 great scale by the evil beasts. They could only carry 

 on a guerilla warfare. When they slay a man, it is an 

 " accident," and, in spite of such exceptions, the human 

 race marches bravely onward. Men have emerged from 

 this struggle for existence. The struggle continues 



1 The " Arrest of the Body " seems to imply that physical evolution 

 is at an end, and therefore that the force of natural selection, which 

 makes for evolution, is also at an end. And in the closing chapter we 

 shall quote names of high authority who deny that natural selection 

 applies to man or at least to civilised men Darwin, Professor K. Pearson, 

 Professor Lloyd Morgan. But it may be well that we should here look 

 for ourselves into the details, and form our own judgment. 



