FUNDAMENTAL FORCES IN SOCIAL EVOLUTION 215 



infant, and thus truly instinctive. In otlier cases 

 they are simply methods of action adopted by the 

 individual and followed so long that they actually 

 become part of his mental machinery. These, though 

 not inherited, are, like instincts, due to the structure 

 of the nerve machine. Such modifications of nerve 

 structures arise in the individual who follows, dur- 

 ing his life, certain definite types of action. The 

 presence of such machinery enables man to act 

 quickly, without the necessity of any decision. The 

 involuntary and even unconscious winking when a 

 particle of dust enters the eye is an example of this 

 class of actions. The other side of human action we 

 call the initiative, and is controlled by intelligence. 

 The individual reasons out a line of action and com- 

 monly adopts it. With each action he puts himself 

 on new ground, and the line of action which he fol- 

 lows in the future is not necessarily the same as he 

 has followed in the past under similar circumstances, 

 but is what his intelligence points out to him as best 

 at the time. This initiative side of action enables 

 man to adapt himself to new conditions. But its 

 action is slow and can rarely be depended upon to 

 enable one to make a quick decision in an emergency. 

 Nevertheless, it is upon this initiative side of our 

 nature that we especially pride ourselves. It is here 

 that we find one of the sharpest distinctions between 

 man and animals. Man is largely controlled by 

 the initiative side of his nature, animals almost 

 wholly by the instinctive side. Among animals the 

 initiative side of the nature is only slightly devel- 

 oped. An ant or a bee in a colony shows no power 

 of initiative action, but simply follows the instinc- 

 tive impulses which it inherits. A newborn chicken 



