314 Heredity and Environment 



blame but also from the deep-seated social instinct to do good, 

 which may reach the highest levels of altruism and self-sacrifice. 



The higher the type of organization the larger is the range of 

 stimuli to which it will respond and the larger the number and 

 kind of responses which may be called forth ; and at the same time 

 the larger becomes the power of inhibition of responses whether 

 through the balancing of one stimulus against another or from 

 whatever cause. Human responsibility varies with the complex- 

 ity of the stimuli involved as well as with the capacity of indi- 

 viduals to respond to those stimuli. A man might be quite re- 

 sponsible in savage society who would be quite irresponsible 

 in civilized communities. In an infant there is no capacity 

 to respond to rational, social or ethical stimuli but with in- 

 creasing capacity in this respect comes increasing responsibil- 

 ity. Mental and ethical imbeciles, insane and mentally defective 

 persons have a low capacity for such responses and inhibitions and 

 consequently less is expected of them. There are in different 

 men all degrees of responsibility, as there are all degrees of ca- 

 pacity. In one and the same individual responsibility varies at 

 different times and under different circumstances ; it rises and 

 falls, like the tides, in every life. Varying capacity to respond 

 to rational, social and ethical stimuli and to inhibit responses of 

 an opposite nature depends not merely upon inheritance but also 

 upon training, habits, physiological states. The common opinion 

 that all normal men are equally responsible is not correct ; in the 

 eyes of the law this may be true, because legal obligations are so 

 far below the capacities of normal men that all may be held equally 

 responsible before the law, though in reality their responsibilities 

 are as varied as their inheritance or their training. 



Conversely the responsibility of society to the individual is uni- 

 versally recognized. Irresponsible persons must be cared for by 

 older or wiser persons who become responsible for them; and in 

 general the responsibility rests upon society to provide as favor- 

 able environment as possible for all its members. Experienced 

 persons can to a certain extent choose their own environment and 



