THE MISSING FACTOR IN CURRENT THEORIES. 33 



refute their heresies. Hence, long after its founda- 

 tions are undermined, a brilliant generalization will 

 retain its hold upon the popular mind ; and before the 

 complementary, the qualifying, or the neutralizing 

 facts can be supplied, the mischief is done. 



But while this is true of many who play with the 

 double-edged tools of science, it is not true of a third 

 class. When we turn to the pages of the few whose 

 science is adequate and whose sweep is over the whole 

 vast horizon, we find, as we should expect, some 

 recognition of the altruistic factor. Though Mr. 

 Herbert Spencer, to whom the appeal in this connec- 

 tion is obvious, makes a different use of the fact, it 

 has not escaped him. Not only does the Other-re- 

 garding function receive recognition, but he allots it 

 a high place in his system. Of its ethical bearings he 

 is equally clear. " What," he asks, " is the ethical as- 

 pect of these altruistic principles ? In the first place, 

 animal life of all but the lowest kinds has been main- 

 tained by virtue of them. Excluding the Protozoa, 

 among which their operation is scarcely discernible, 

 we see that without gratis benefits to offspring, and 

 earned benefits to adults, life could not have con- 

 tinued. In the second place, by virtue of them life 

 has gradually evolved into higher forms. By care of 

 offspring which has become greater with advancing 

 organization, and by survival of the fittest in the com- 

 petition among adults, which has become more habitual 

 with advancing organization, superiority has been 

 perpetually fostered and further advances caused." ] 

 Fiske, Littre, Romanes, Le Conte, L. Buchner, Miss 

 Buckley, and Prince Kropotkin have expressed theni- 



1 Principles of Ethics, Vol. n., p. 5. 

 3 



