172 ETHICAL ASPECTS OF EVOLUTION 



The classification of springs of action by the actions 

 which they usually produce is a practice that is re 

 sponsible for a good deal of confusion, and it is worth 

 while to exemplify this by a short examination of some 

 of the motives which are commonly assigned to the class 

 of actions which are brought under the general head of 

 obedience. Of these there are only four that need detain 

 us, namely, imitation, fear, indolence, and a reasonable 

 calculation of the consequent advantages. We will con 

 sider each of these separately, first noting that they all 

 agree, both in occasionally producing compliance either 

 with the will or with the actions of others, and also in being 

 wholly independent of the true temper of obedience. 



A distinguished contemporary writer exemplifies the 

 meaning of obedience in general by asking the following 

 questions : 



Why do we all forgo the gratification of many of 

 our personal desires, desires in themselves harmless, merely 

 because they are not shared by others ? Why do we 

 go on echoing opinions whose soundness we more than 

 doubt ? Why do we pursue pleasures which give us no 

 amusement, but rather weariness ? Why do we adhere 

 to a party, political or ecclesiastical, of whose conduct we 

 often disapprove ? Why, in fact, is so large a part of our 

 daily conduct determined, not by our own natural preference, 

 but by compliance with the opinion of others, or submis 

 sion to the social conditions around us ? &quot; 1 



The answer must be that in a large number of instances the 

 compliance is due to the principle of imitation, which plays 

 so important a part in the moulding of our actions. We act 

 in the way described because we see others acting in the same 

 way, and for no other reason. But this compliance may easily 

 be distinguished from obedience. When a flock of sheep, 

 to take a popular illustration, follow a bell-wether through 

 a gap, running when he runs, and leaping when he leaps, 

 they are guided by imitation and not by obedience. No 

 command is given, and the process is quite independent 

 of the will of the bell-wether. He may be assumed to be 

 1 Professor Bryce, Studies in History and Jurisprudence, ii. 6. 



