328 E VOL U TION OF TO-DA Y. 



from social instincts, and that the idea of right is 

 simply a generalization of a class of actions which 

 have been found to be productive of good. But on 

 the other hand, the opponents of this view deny 

 that conscience is a simple instinct, and claim, there- 

 fore, that Darwin has only described the origin of 

 codes of morals without explaining why there should 

 be such morals. Between these two views each 

 must decide for himself. 



General Considerations. 



We have now considered the chief points in the 

 Darwinian argument concerning man. It consists 

 entirely in showing a similarity between the mental 

 nature of men and animals. The arguments found 

 in nature for believing in general evolution of ani- 

 mals, have been sufficient to convince scientists that 

 evolution is true. The close agreement of the 

 human body with that of other vertebrates, makes it 

 evident that if we accept evolution elsewhere we 

 must also do so here, unless some valid reasons to 

 the contrary appear. But if we consider man in any 

 other relation than anatomically, the difference 

 between him and animals is enormous. The magni- 

 tude of this difference has, therefore, arisen as an 

 obstacle to the application of evolution to man. 

 The only course for Darwin and his followers to 

 pursue is to show that this difference is not so great 

 as it seems ; that it is only a difference in degree. 

 We have seen the method by which this is attempt- 

 ed ; but whether the attempt has been successful, is 

 a matter of dispute. His arguments have not con- 



