342 THE THEORIES OF EVOLUTION 



tions, is willing to sacrifice, or shall we bow to a 

 scientific truth which cannot be disregarded by anyone 

 who is accustomed to think scientifically? 



We personally contend that every individual has a 

 perfect right to follow the path which he judges right, 

 even if his actions are not justified from any scientific 

 point of view. Scientific theories are not immutable 

 and what seems to be, to-day, a rigorously exact con- 

 clusion, may, to-morrow, in the light of new facts or 

 of new conceptions, appear erroneous. Moreover, it 

 would be absurd to hold out to us animal life as an 

 example to imitate, for evolution has lifted us to a 

 higher plane in a great many respects and has created 

 for us a much more complex mode of existence. 



The leading exponents of trans formism never 

 dreamt that their theories could be made to justify 

 attempts at lowering man's moral status. On the 

 contrary we see Lamarck placing solidarity at the 

 basis of social life. He expresses himself as follows 

 in his Systeme analytique des connaissances positives 

 de Vhomme: 2 "In the relations between individuals 

 or between the various societies growing out of their 

 groupings, the harmony between mutual interests is 

 the principle of good, while disharmony between those 

 interests is the principle of evil." 



And he revolted against the inequality due to the 



2 Quoted by Marcel Landeiett: Prioccupations mUaphysiques, to- 

 ddles and morales, Ch. XXII. 



