COSMIC PHILOSOPHY 



form and organization. In whatever manner the 

 changes have been brought about, the rate of 

 change is greater where the grade of organization 

 is higher." And this fact results from the more 

 complex relations of the higher beings to their 

 environment. Applying these considerations to 

 history, it will be seen that, owing to the politi- 

 cal isolation of ancient communities, the hetero- 

 geneity of their environments must have been 

 inconsiderable. Holding little intercourse with 

 each other, and accommodating their deeds and 

 opinions mostly to the conditions existing at 

 home, their progress was usually feeble and halt- 

 ing. Owing to the enormous heterogeneity of 

 the environment to which modern communities 

 are forced to adjust themselves, progress in later 

 ages has been far more rapid and far more stable 

 than of old. The physical well-being of an an- 

 cient Greek was not enhanced by an invention 

 made in China, nor could his philosophy derive 

 useful hints from theories propounded in India. 

 But in these days scarcely anything can happen 

 in one part of our planet which does not speed- 

 ily affect every other part. The physical en- 

 vironment of a modern European extends over 

 a great part of the earth's surface, and his psy- 

 chical environment is scarcely limited in time or 

 space. His welfare is not unfrequently aifected 

 by accidents occurring at the antipodes, while 

 his plans for the coming year are often shaped 

 3H 



