CHAPTER VIII 



THE PROBLEM OF EDUCATION 



Nothing in modern life is more significant and 

 prophetic than the widespread and constantly in- 

 creasing interest in education which is seen in all 

 the civilized countries of Europe and America, 

 and in many of the semi-civilized nations of Asia. 

 This revival of interest in education is coincident 

 with the now general acceptance of evolution by 

 scientific thinkers. Evolution is compelling men 

 to rewrite their psychologies, their treatises on 

 ethics, and even their theological creeds ; and it 

 would be strange indeed if it did not assert its 

 authority over education. To some extent it has 

 probably done so ; and yet its executive agents, 

 heredity and environment, are still given scant 

 honour in this great department where they are 

 nearly omnipotent. 



We have seen that heredity is not often an 

 absolutely irresistible force. That which is poten- 

 tial does not inevitably manifest itself. More- 

 over, heredity is constantly modified by environ- 

 ment. In a vacuum, rock would remain rock 



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