THE CAUSATION OF DISEASE. 1 97 



It is necessary to remember that reason has a far more 

 difficult task before it than instinct, for, along with the deve- 

 lopment of the higher mental faculties, society has become 

 more and more complex, and thus civilized man finds himself 

 in the midst of a highly complex E. Moreover, this E is 

 not fixed and stereotyped like that of the brutes, but ever 

 variable, and man is continually encountering combinations 

 of circumstances which have never occurred to him before. 

 Reason has, therefore, to serve as guide through an E which 

 is both complex and variable. Furthermore, the E of 

 man comprises an abundance of luxuries, many of which are 

 tempting and fascinating sources of evil, and lure to destruc- 

 tion, just as a flame entices the moth, or as the false beacon of 

 old lured the passing vessel to its doom. To safely guide an 

 individual through all the intricacies, temptations, and dangers 

 of a civilized E, is indeed a difficult task for reason. On 

 the other hand, the E of the instinct-led brute is far simpler 

 and more stable, for instinct compels the animal to remain in 

 certain fixed and well-trodden grooves ; wherefore, its task is 

 comparatively easy. But altogether apart from the question 

 of difficulty, instinct is as a guide much surer and safer than 

 reason. We have seen why instinct is a sure and perfect 

 guide ; let us now inquire why, in this respect, reason is so 

 far inferior to it. 



The knowledge of how to act upon any given occasion is 

 largely based upon man's experience, both individual and 

 ancestral — i.e., he learns personally what is good and bad for 

 him, and this experience is often dearly bought ; and he further 

 profits by the accumulated experience of those who have gone 

 before him. This experience is transmitted from generation to 

 generation by word of mouth and written record — not, in 

 the way of instinct, by direct heredity. Now, when a man finds 

 himself in an altogether new position, a position which he has 

 not experienced before, he must, unless the experience of 

 others be available, fall back upon the guidance of reason, 

 pure and simple — that is to say, intellect. But this often 

 fails him. To set forth in critical detail the imperfections of 

 reason would be to write a large volume. Certain it is that 

 every one does not know how to reason correctly on even the 



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