74 ETHICAL ASPECTS OF EVOLUTION 



Again, even if an ideal were to be accepted, it would be 

 of no advantage to the race. All the objections which 

 were urged in a previous chapter against artificial breeding 

 apply with at least equal force to the exclusive direction of 

 conduct in accordance with a fixed and permanent standard. 

 The principle of life in all phenomena, internal and external 

 alike, is change ; and, as it is not given to us to foresee 

 what lines that change will follow, adherence to an un 

 changing ideal leads inevitably to destruction. 



Finally, in order that it may have practical effect, an 

 ideal must be such that it presents a reasonable prospect of 

 realization. As Spinoza says, Quum homo concipiat 

 naturam aliquam humanam sua multo firmiorem, et simul 

 nihil obstare videat quominus talem naturam acquirat, inci- 

 tatur ad media quaerendum quae ipsum ad talem ducant 

 perfectionem. 1 Unless there is some prospect of success, the 

 will will not be interested. What then is understood by an 

 ideal is a more or less complete personality, which may be 

 realized by human effort in the future. But the continuity 

 of experience is the only basis we have for building forecasts 

 on, and if that showed us that the ideals of one age had 

 ever been realized, or even approached, in a subsequent stage 

 of evolution, we should have some ground for confidence in 

 our own ; and that confidence would vary in degree with the 

 frequency with which previous ideals had been realized. If 

 they had always been realized, it would be so strong as to 

 approach certainty ; if never, it would be wholly unreason 

 able. We might then, indeed, be nearly certain that they 

 never will be realized. 



Now it requires no very careful consideration of the past 

 to convince us, not only that no ideal has ever been 

 realized, but, in addition, that it must necessarily have 

 differed widely from what has been the actual result. It was 

 impossible for the ape to foresee his human descendant, and 

 it is equally impossible for us to foresee what line evolution 

 will take in our case. All that can be said with regard to 

 any of the ideals which have been proposed for our accep- 

 1 De intell. emend., ii. 13. 



