PREFACE. 



The favourable reception accorded to my Evolution 

 by Go-operation : a Study in Bio-Economics" published 

 in 1913, has encouraged me to come forward with a 

 still greater effort towards the elucidation of the laws of 

 natural co-operation and a more precise formulation of 

 fundamentally important bio-economic principles. 



The concurrent attempt to introduce the idea of values" 

 into Biology may be vieived as a sequel to my bio-economic 

 studies. I think it may fairly be chimed that though it 

 were but an attempt in this direction, it deserves to be 

 welcomed as at least opening new avenues to biological and 

 evolutionary thought. 



Indeed, to judge by the reviews and correspondence that 

 I have had, my work may be said to have entered that 

 stage of general recognition where it is conceded that ' there 

 is something in it." As one ivell-known and distinguished 

 writer puts it (who indeed declares himself to be captivated 

 by its main idea though not yet entirely captured " and 

 considers the economic parallel illuminating in the highest 

 degree) : " That there is something in it is absolutely 

 undeniable-" I feel justified in expressing considerable 

 confidence in a further growth of such favourable impression 

 as the present work will assist in re-inforcing my position 

 and as my views will become familiar to wider circles. 



I have spent eighteen months of almost uninterrupted 

 daily labour in compiling the present volume. Yet, were it not 

 that I have been weighing the leading propositions now for 

 a considerable number of years, I could not have completed 

 a work of such dimensions in that short time. 



I have once again great pleasure in acknowledging the 

 help of my friend A. H. Singleton, to ivhom I here desire 

 to express my cordial thanks for the unstinted assistance 

 in the production of this work. 



Surbiton, April, 1915. 



