CHAP, xx SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 28 1 



noted, it falls short of its aim, giving us rather a 

 sequence of distinct evolutions in different regions. 

 And for the guidance of conduct Mr. Spencer does 

 not keep steadily to the suggestions furnished by 

 cosmic evolution, but varies his standpoints, and sets 

 before us no fewer than three ideals. "> 



Thirdly, we have the Darwinian doctrine of 

 struggle ; and we take it for the moment as applied 

 by way of analogy to human relations. Now this 

 Darwinian doctrine is immensely important. True, 

 or false, or half true and we must not suppose that 

 the truth of evolution, even of organic evolution, 

 stands or falls with Darwinism Darwinism still 

 remains as when first promulgated, the one dominant 

 theory. It "holds the field." While the factors of 

 Spencer's assumed cosmic evolution are shadowy and 

 vague, the factors of natural selection are or seem 

 to most minds plain and undeniable. They may 

 carry us far, or they may carry us only a short dis- 

 tance ; but they are vera causes. 



Darwinism is applied by Bagehot to nations and to 

 political life generally ; by Professor Alexander to the 

 conflict of ethical ideals. In neither case does the as- 

 sumed evolution follow the lines of true Darwinism. 

 Apart from war, Bagehot recognises imitation (cf. 

 Professor Baldwin) and free discussion as the great 

 factors in progress or change. Both of these are 

 psychical factors ; they make for evolution directly, 

 not indirectly ; they may be expected to move much 

 more quickly than natural selection. Professor Alex- 

 ander again (as we concluded), so far as he makes 

 the conflict of ethical ideals look like a Darwinian 

 struggle, does this by distorting his facts. We may 



