XXVI 



SOME POPULAR FALLACIES 



HAVING analyzed our concept of optimism, we 

 found three varieties: oldest and most general, the 

 animal optimism which has for its most complete 

 expression, "Fate cannot touch me I have dined 

 to-day"; secondly, the optimism of faith, which 

 has for its most sublime and quintessential ex- 

 pression, not the insane cry of Tertullian, "Credo 

 quia impossible," but the insuperable conviction 

 of Job, " Though He slay me, yet will I trust in 

 Him." In subsequent chapters we must consider 

 the grounds of the third variety of optimism, which 

 we call rational; and it goes without saying that 

 here evolution is the " master - light of all our 

 seeing." 



But ere we consider the manner in which op- 

 timism may be grounded on evolution, it is neces- 

 sary first to stigmatize as fallacious the popular 

 notion that evolution teaches the necessary per- 

 fectioning of man and man's lot in time coming. 

 Science knows no law of progress, but a law of 

 change. Progress is obviously an anthropic term, 

 denoting merely an ideal of ours; and if this ideal 

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