284 FROM COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD PART iv 



treat the problems of morality and sociology in an 

 appendix to biology. But in point of fact Social 

 Evolution turns as much upon the writer's private 

 opinions regarding reason and religion as upon its 

 view of struggle ; * and that view, dissociating 

 struggle from elimination, is not Darwin's view. 



On the whole, then, this is what we have seen. 

 The one attempt to give authority to biology as a 

 guide for human conduct is the doctrine of evolution. 

 The only accredited theory of naturalistic evolution 

 is natural selection. And it does not, it cannot, 

 apply where reason is at work. 



When this is more generally recognised we shall 

 see a return of men's minds to the rejected author- 

 ities. Religion, conscience, philosophy, even intui- 

 tionalism, they will all come back, " trooping all 

 together." Probably they will all have contributions 

 to make to the social philosophy of the future. Faith 

 in free will must also return : the ban of ostracism 

 will be cancelled. Denial of freedom is exactly 

 parallel to Mr. Sutherland's denial of reason, though 

 many idealists have mixed themselves up with the 

 one while claiming to be champions of the other. 

 But this is the truth : there is a new factor distinguish- 

 ing spirit from nature; in knowledge it appears as 

 reason, in conduct as will. One is delighted to find 

 Professor Karl Pearson helping, though indirectly 

 and involuntarily, to vindicate libertarianism. 



1 Professor Baldwin's Social and Ethical Interpretations furnishes a 

 valuable criticism upon Mr. Kidd. Some of Mr. Baldwin's own posi- 

 tions seem obscure or questionable. But as he decisively subordinates 

 the appeal to biology, he does not form part of the proper field of our 

 present study. 



