24 A THEORY OF LIFE DEDUCED 



as well as may be what is universally conceded to be the 

 ultimate object of life. And even though we may not 

 positively assert that the ideal state will ever be attained, 

 it is nevertheless possible of attainment ; and " unless the 

 whole evolutionary theory be a farce," to borrow words 

 elsewhere used, " antagonism between men must eventually 

 disappear, and in obedience to the law of increasing adap- 

 tability of means to ends, social harmony, to a very high 

 degree, must reign in its steadT 



And now we are in sight of a very important truth, 

 which it was the ulterior purpose of the foregoing remarks 

 to bring out into greater clearness. Judged from another 

 point of view, the source whence the ideal society derives 

 its sanction furnishes us with a scientific basis for ethics 

 and politics ; for, if there be a social arrangement possible 

 by which the greatest sum of happiness can be attained, 

 small as may be the chance of its actual realization, it 

 follows as the day the night that in the conditions for the 

 maintenance of such a state is to be found our material for 

 constructing a moral and political science. Our next step, 

 then, must be briefly to formulate the teachings of these 

 sciences as thus derived. And first, as to ethics what 

 are its fundamental principles ? Translated into simple 

 language they may be thus stated : You say that the aim of 

 life is the greatest possible happiness. Granted. Recol- 

 lect, however, that you are but one of many millions of 

 people, and what has been admitted in your case applies 

 with equal truth to every other human being. You say 

 that if the greatest happiness is the object of existence, 

 you have a right to strive to attain that end. So you have. 

 Bear in mind, however, that this is a right which every 

 other human being enjoys in common with yourself. Hence 

 arises the necessity of limiting your freedom of action to 



