The Progress of the Race 



an extraordinary but unchanging instinct. 

 " Show us," they say, "a single case where 

 the pressure of events has inspired them 

 with the idea, for instance, of substituting 

 clay or mortar for wax or propoHs ; show 

 us this, and we will admit their capacity 

 for reasoning." 



This argument, that Romanes refers to 

 as the "question-begging argument," and 

 that might also be termed the " insatiable 

 argument," is exceedingly dangerous, and, 

 if applied to man, would take us very far. 

 Examine it closely, and you find that it 

 emanates from the " mere common- 

 sense," which is often so harmful ; the 

 " common-sense " that replied to Galileo : 

 " The earth does not turn, for I can see 

 the sun move in the sky, rise in the 

 morning and sink in the evening ; and 

 nothing can prevail over the testimony of 

 my eyes." Common-sense makes an 

 admirable, and necessary, background for 



365 



