xx SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 265 



different kind pressed upon us by the study of nature, 

 the suggestion of the importance, nay more, of the 

 indispensableness of struggle. Of course, it is possible, 

 or even probable, that the doctrine of natural selection 

 is not the whole truth, even in the region of biology. 

 Therefore it may be the case that the evolutionary 

 study of nature, as conducted by our scientific leaders, 

 hands on to sociology a stronger recommendation in 

 favour of struggle than facts really warrant. Further, 

 we have agreed decidedly to repel the suggestion that 

 natural selection strictly so-called has an appreciable 

 effect in civilised society, or can account for advances in 

 human morality. Still, unless we utterly reject natural 

 selection perhaps one might even say, unless we close 

 our eyes to manifest facts we must admit that struggle 

 exists in nature. And it will need clear proof if we are 

 to believe that the same necessity does not hold in 

 human life. 



Bagehot and Professor Alexander have mainly dwelt 

 on the importance of free discussion. That is a kind of 

 competition. It is very different, of course, from natural 

 selection. It implies reason and speech, and the possible 

 wide diffusion of successful opinions, a whole world of 

 causes making for rapid advance in contrast to the heart- 

 breaking tardiness of natural selection. Still, it is a 

 form of struggle. And while defeat here points towards 

 conversion rather than towards extinction, it would be 

 absurd to say that defeat in argument is always painless. 

 It is painful ! And it does not always make for progress. 

 We have ceased to believe as confidently as the men of 

 last generation in the immediate victory of truth. 1 Yet 



1 There are interesting remarks on the evolution of beliefs in Dr. F. B. 

 Jevons's Introduction to the History of Religion at the beginning of chap. 



XXVL 



