488 PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT. 



pathetic as well as of selfish emotion, and he notes 

 that in human history the former, for which he has 

 coined the word Altruism, gradually gains the upper 

 hand over the latter, i.e., over Egoism. But he does 

 not enter on any psychological or critical analysis of 

 this remarkable compound of human nature, but takes 

 for granted that what he considers to be an observed 

 fact in human history, the growth of the altruistic feel- 

 ings, is an indication of what ought to be, or rather of 

 what will be.-^ Consistent with his early announcement 

 that all practical policy — including, of course, his later 

 spiritual cult — can only consist in furthering and facili- 

 tating tendencies in human nature which have been 

 historically discovered, he elevates the ethical principle 

 of altruism into the position of a supreme moral precept 

 or command : " live for others." He thus introduces 

 into the religion of humanity the great central idea of 



^ Mill in his criticism of Couite's 

 scheme of reorganisation, notices 

 s, break in the continuity of 

 Comte's ideas, inasmuch as the 

 "comprehensive view of the pro- 

 gress of human society in the 

 past," is not used as a "basis of 

 practical recommendations " for the 

 future. " . . . we fail to see any 



been, and ever so clear a foresight 

 of the future (if such were pos- 

 sible), does not bring with it an 

 obligation to promote or expedite 

 by personal effort this natural 

 process. It was the object of 

 the later labours of Comte to 

 emphasise the feeling of duty and 

 obligation and to establish sanctions 



scientific connection between his j and a supreme authority. An 



theoretical explanation of the past j exclusive acceptance of the earlier 



progress of society and his pro- ' teaching of Comte such as Littre 



Is for future improvement " | represents necessarily implies an 



('Auguste Comte and Positivism,' ' extinction of the sense of moral 



2nd ed., 1866, p. 118). It is how- [ obligation. Co-operation could be 



ever possible in the light of the recommended merely as a means 



more recent developments of Posi- | of more efficiently and more 



tivism to look upon this break of rapidly gaining the mastery over 



continuity in Comte's speculation the natural forces, which is an 



in a more favourable way. Comte ' important but not the highest aim 



saw clearly that ever so complete j of human progress. (See on this 



a knowledge of what is and has I also supra, p. 485.) 



