THE ISSUES OF LIFE 305 



that the survival of the fittest means only the survival of 

 those relatively best adapted to particular conditions, which 

 may be parasitism or (in some ants) slave-keeping; (3) a 

 forgetfulness of the apartness of human society from the ani- 

 mal world with which it is nevertheless solidary — an apart- 

 ness which forbids any uncriticised transference of a purely 

 biological induction to social affairs; and (4) an ignoring of 

 the historical fact, which we dare mention even after years 

 of carnage, that the trend of civilisation has been away from 

 the harsher forms of Nature's regime. 



§ 5. The Welfare of the Species. 



When we pass from the struggle for existence in its many 

 forms to consider old-established activities which secure the 

 welfare of the species, we arrive at a result which colours 

 our whole view of Animate Nature, and is of great interest to 

 philosophy, — to that philosophy at least which has one hand 

 on Human History and the other on Natural History, and 

 is as a daysman between them. Postponing the difficult 

 question as to where we should draw the line which de- 

 limits set purpose, we find that a very large part of the time 

 and energy of living creatures is given over to activities 

 which do not make for self-increase or self-stability or self- 

 preservation, but make for the welfare of the family, the 

 kin, and the species. 



To a degree which has not been adequately realised by 

 naturalists, organisms are adapted to, and give themselves 

 up to securing the welfare of their race. In their multipli- 

 cation, in their reproductive processes, in their parental care, 

 individuals spend themselves in activities which are often 

 not to their own advantage. Their personal interests have 

 been subordinated to those of the species. They are borne 



