CHAP, ix MR. SPENCER'S THREE DOCTRINES 97 



tionary process, which, moderating personal claims, 

 and increasing altruistic efforts, is preparing a heaven 

 upon earth for the benefit of our very remote poster- 

 ity ; at least, if the world lasts long enough. But the 

 fundamental postulate remains: pleasure is the good. : 

 All systems, we are told, virtually involve this as- 

 sumption, and all moral truths are lighted up by it. 

 Why is altruism good ? Because it gives pleasure to 

 other persons, although at personal cost. Why is 

 egoism good? Because a judicious tincture of egoism 

 increases average happiness. Thus, in this depart- 

 ment of the system, the supreme law is not " Be 

 complex," but " Get pleasure," or, in its noblest form, 

 " Give pleasure," but in the form which best repro- 

 duces the meaning of the doctrine of balance, " Pro- 

 mote maximum pleasure." This psychological test 

 of the good overrides and controls all the other tests 

 with which it is associated in the Data of Ethics 

 physical, biological, sociological. Spencer himself 

 bears witness to this fact to the supremacy in his 

 thinking of a psychological test ; nor have any reason 

 to challenge or complain of it. By all means let the 

 moral consciousness speak ; and let it be a supreme, 

 if not a solitary, guide ; but are we sure that this 

 hedonistic doctrine is the authentic and final utter- 

 ance of the moral consciousness? "Is complexity 

 which in Spencer's thinking stands for moral and in- 

 tellectual progress really to yield its place of 

 supremacy to compromise or balance, if the latter 

 secures maximum pleasure all round ? 



The third ideal dominates Spencer's formulated 

 sociological doctrine. Here he is the out-and-out 

 champion of individualism. His sociological law- 



