IV 



ASSOCIATION 



The origin of the mental faculties and moral nature 

 of mankind is to be explained by the socializing influ- 

 ences of group life. In the preceding chapters we have 

 examined the doctrine of descent to determine whether 

 man's physical form was related to other species of ani- 

 mal life. AVe saw that there was no scientific reason for 

 separating man from the rest of the animal kingdom as 

 regards the processes of evolution. "There is no reason 

 to doubt the continuity of animal and human society." ^ 

 From the strictly sociological point of view, the student 

 of social evolution accepts the conclusions of biology and 

 geology and begins his investigation with the inquiry as 

 to whether the earliest men were isolated pairs, de- 

 scended perhaps from a single pair, or whether the 

 transition from the animal to the human state was made 

 by entire social groups. Professor Giddings holds that 

 there is no evidence whatsoever for the theory of numer- 

 ous isolated pairs. Indeed, there is much evidence to 

 the contrary which leads us to believe that the transition 

 from the animal to the human state was made under tho 

 socializing influences of group life.- 



Throughout the ages before man was differentiated, 

 certain animals lived in groups and were becoming ac- 

 customed to the advantages afforded by association. 



1 Giddings, F. H. — The Principles of Sociology, p. 208. - Ibid. 



102 



