46 SYMBIOSIS 



a quasi- or Bio-morality ; and it led eventually, by natural 

 momentum, to an ever increasing urge in the direction of increased 

 interdependence and, therefore, of enhanced Bio-morality. This 

 " symbiotic urge " was perhaps adumbrated by Herbert Spencer, 

 when he spoke in 1855, of " that beneficent necessity displayed 

 in the progressive evolution of the correspondence between the 

 organism and its environment." 



Let us be clear at the outset about the meaning of this quasi- 

 or Bio-morality. I consider that the economic problem was 

 present from the first beginnings of life, and that there were two 

 ways of solving it : first the industrious, as instanced by the 

 symbiotic bacteria and by early symbiotic adaptation generally ; 

 and, secondly, the improvident and predaceous way, as instanced 

 by the devourers and the parasites, i.e., work and theft. The 

 former regime, because it allows the welfare of the total organic 

 family to take precedence of the individual gain, I call the good, 

 that is the moral, or bio-moral regime ; the latter, because it is 

 one of mere self-regarding expediency, regardless of " higher " 

 or wider interests, I call the bad or immoral regime. And I 

 conceive human, i.e., conscious morality to have arisen out of 

 such unconscious Bio-morality, and to be largely dependent 

 for its sanctions, past and present, upon Bio-morality. In my 

 opinion, every stage of life possesses its corresponding degree of 

 mind, consciousness and Bio-morality. I do not claim human 

 consciousness for the bacteria. I only claim that their various 

 ways of solving the economic problem involved conduct which, 

 when good in its tendency or results, I am justified in classing 

 as bio-moral on the ground that it availed towards fuller life. 



It is generally conceded that where mind exists, questions 

 of morality begin to arise. To those who deny all mind to the 

 lowest creatures I do not address myself. The leading related- 

 ness in the organic world becoming, from the very dawn of life, 

 one of systematic co-operation, reliance upon this principle became 

 more and more indispensable. This practical indispensability 

 of mutuality in an ever advancing " organic civilisation " found 

 concrete expression in the growth of innumerable faculties for 

 effective mutual stimulation, such as is taking place continually 

 for instance between bacteria and higher plant ; between fungus 

 and alga, forming together the lichen ; and, more generally, 

 between plant and animal on the vast scale of Nature. Symbiosis, 

 therefore, led from early times not only to a multiplicity of 



