CHAPTER XIII 



DARWINISM IN ETHICS I PROFESSOR ALEXANDER 



Fusion of idealism and naturalism Moral judgments are facts, but the 

 assertion of free will is absurd Criticism; capricious; ignores the 

 content of moral judgments and the germ of a system in them 

 Punishment grouped with dynamics ? Statics are truly, though im- 

 perfectly, moral Goodness is a two-fold " equilibrium " This doc- 

 trine is enforced against other definitions In the Dynamics equilib- 

 rium is revealed as endlessly changing, and is called " compromise " 

 Ideals compete like organisms for survival Criticism ; not (a) 

 true Darwinian struggle, nor () true extinction The new ideals 

 are not wholly new Ideals are complementary So far as he Dar- 

 winises he is false to morality 



PROFESSOR ALEXANDER'S Moral Order and Progress 

 is a very full, interesting, and original discussion. Its 

 character, as the sub-title indicates, is " an analysis of 

 Ethical Conceptions." The general position of the 

 author is that of one struck with the convergence of 

 idealistic and naturalistic ethics in the light of evolu- 

 tionism ; but, while coming himself from the camp of 

 the idealists, Mr. Alexander is strongly inclined to 

 seek a place in the left wing of the partially amalga- 

 mated forces. All that is true or solid in idealist 

 ethics is provided for, he thinks, in the biological 

 scheme. As for intuitionalism, it may go packing ; 

 there is no portion for it in the promised land of truth ; 

 it is mere mischievous illusion. We have been told 

 by some of Lord Beaconsfield's admirers that there 



