412 The Morality of Nature 



individuals, united in harmony of purpose. The power of 

 these greater units as compared with that of the lesser units 

 lacking co-operation, is shown by the survival of species of 

 animals achieving them ; and, especially among mankind, by 

 the ascendency of the races so actuated, as compared with 

 those practicing more generally destructive or aggressive 

 rivalries. 



In this we have perceived that the continued function of 

 evolution is the procurement of greater and greater power 

 for the preservation of life, by the raising of organization 

 into higher and higher phases. The sex process we find 

 promoting first the multicellular body structure as an indi- 

 vidual organization; and then the many associated individ- 

 uals as a social organization under instinctive altruism. The 

 intellectual power we find promoting still higher organiza- 

 tion, by perceiving in advance remoter benefits of greater 

 worth, and setting them above immediate benefits of lesser 

 worth, and so appreciating morality; and again we see that 

 self-conscious intellect increases effectiveness, by making 

 for liberty; and that all of these intellectual things are ad- 

 vances, and are adopted into the progressive evolution, be- 

 cause they make for the preservation of life, and prove it 

 by the survival of those creatures which evolve them, just 

 as did the physical advances. 



And lastly we recall that there is in general conduct a 

 persistence of the earlier responses and impulses, which are 

 not entirely superseded by the later motives and desires, 

 but which still remain among the factors in the conduct of 

 life, and still affect the lower strata of conduct of higher 

 acquirement. And in consequence it appears that human 



