44 The Morality of Nature 



as an early one. On the other hand there are animals 

 notoriously averse to it. Certain species of the carnivora 

 are in this aversion most conspicuous. Their only associ- 

 ating instincts seem to be those incidental and necessary to 

 the sexual and the reproductive habits. They enjoy but a 

 minimum of its benefits, but still these creatures serve to 

 show the universality of the instinct, for even they do not 

 dispense with it. They show its least development, but not 

 at all its negation. 



The aggressive species of animals, in their system of con- 

 duct, and the aggressive groups among animals whose sys- 

 tem is mixed, illustrate again the fact that the old primary 

 necessity of self-preservation and self -maintenance also per- 

 sists. The idea of self is not removed ; it is extended. The 

 extension of the conception of self changes so that it includes 

 others in a larger unit. This is the principle of association 

 which makes a new standard of conduct and gives a clue to 

 the understanding of the mystery of altruism. The theory 

 of it is very different from that idea that self as the evil 

 interest must be suppressed; and that self-abnegation is 

 a virtue in the abstract. Such a notion is an over reaching 

 ideal which is seen to be false. It is not supported by ob- 

 servation of actualities. In the test of real life experience 

 refutes perpetually that assumption. What the facts of 

 life seem to show is that as associated life advances there 

 develop two units of action, the unit of separate or indi- 

 vidual action which continues but becomes restricted to 

 certain things ; while other matters concern the new enlarged 

 unit of many associates, in other words a new self which 

 includes a number (continually growing) of cooperating 



