134 HAS SCIENCE DISCOVERED GOD? 



mechanism at every new step. Mechanism Is just one 

 aspect of the process, representing force, compulsion 

 and Identity, repeating Itself forever. Evolution rep- 

 resents growth, progress, achievement. Differences, 

 not identities, characterize It, and the differences are 

 cumulative, and seem to Imply some end or purpose. 

 Whether it really is a purposive movement need not 

 be contended here, but it is certainly expansive. Even 

 the stellar universe, as present astronomy seems to be 

 teaching, is an expanding universe. In other words, 

 it is not really a universe, but something growing, 

 enlarging, constantly outgrowing Itself — perhaps an 

 organism. 



To us this growth and expanslveness Is best seen in 

 organic evolution of plants and animals. Organic 

 evolution is a series of Increments and pluses. Even 

 a Darwinian variation, upon which the whole system 

 of natural selection depends. Is a veritable plus, a nov- 

 elty. It Is something wholly new, therefore a creation 

 — perhaps an achievement. 



In evolution, nature Is constantly outgrowing itself, 

 outdoing itself, as if it were propelled by some inner 

 motive of expansion, or some primeval uplifting force, 

 or else perhaps drawn on by some timeless power of 

 attraction. Whether the upward striving of the world 

 toward life and mind, toward science and art, toward 

 greater moral values, finds its spring and motive in 

 some primeval creative power or in some Immanent 

 divine life, or In some absolute Platonic Good, the 

 conception in any case is essentially religious. 



The mechanistic interpretations of Darwinism 

 prevalent in the early days of this century were quite 

 gratuitous. Darwin himself did not enter upon the 



