346 THE THEORIES OF EVOLUTION 



for the misinterpretations of the selectionist idea which 

 we have mentioned. 



Fortunately, many scientists have followed Dar- 

 win's advice and endeavoured to find a solution no 

 longer inspired by metaphysical or spiritualistic con- 

 siderations or traditions but derived solely from the 

 results of observations and experiments which should 

 be the only basis of biological conclusions. 



Psychologists have tried to find in the animal king- 

 dom the origin of the various human sentiments and 

 they have thus established the science of comparative 

 psychology which is as ^et in its infancy but has 

 already furnished valuable indications. Ribot, for 

 instance, holds the view that ethical feelings result 

 from life in common and that social feelings are 

 observable in animal societies. Approaching the 

 question from another side, he finds the concrete origin 

 of our ethical feelings and of our altruistic impulses 

 in the unavoidable tendency of our organism to extend 

 the field of its activity, to spend its energy not only 

 upon destructive efforts which leave only a feeling 

 of discomfort, but in constructive, beneficent en- 

 deavour, which is accompanied by unmixed enjoy- 

 ment. 5 This view is also held in philosophy by Guyau, 

 who is the author of a scientific system of morals. 6 

 In both Ribot's and Guyau's writings we feel the 



s Th. Ribot. La psychologic des sentiments, Ch. VIII; Les sentiments 

 moraux et sociaux. 

 « M. Guyaf. Esquisse d'une morale sans obligation ni sanction. 





