MAN A PRODUCT OF HIS ENVIRONMENT 541 



can assign to their persistence is tliat they are adapted to their 

 environment. 



When we consider the world of organisms in its entirety, we 

 are in a position to judge of the value of the claim of man to be 

 the goal of evolution, the raison d'etre of creation. And, viewed 

 in this light, such a claim cannot but appear wholly irrational. 

 As well might we say that any other of the numerous species 

 of living beings is the raison d'etre of creation. The persistence 

 of the bacillus, the oyster, or the spider is not less extraordinary 

 than that of man. Rather it is more extraordinary ; for man's 

 intelligence has rendered him formidable ; whereas the bacillus, 

 the oyster, and the spider are wholly defenceless and entirely 

 at the mercy of their foes. 



The truth is that man, like the oyster, is simply a product of 

 his environment, adapted to his environment. Evolution has not 

 been directed by a mysterious vital force in view of a " final " 

 aim higher than Nature ; but it can be understood solely by 

 reference to environing conditions. The ever greater differentia- 

 tion of living forms is but a consequence of the ever greater 

 diversity of surrounding conditions. Not man considered as a 

 moral being, but adaptation to an increasingly heterogeneous 

 environment, is the " aim " of evolution. Thus we cannot say 

 that the " aim " of social evolution is a moral aim. Social 

 evolution is not concerned, primarily at least, with moraUty. 

 Professor Marshall has rightly remarked that " we must call 

 to mind the fact that the struggle for survival tends to make 

 those methods of organisation prevail which are best fitted to 

 thrive in their environment ; but not necessarily those best 

 fitted to benefit their environment." ^ Social evolution, like 

 organic evolution, has as its " aim " adaptation to the environ- 

 ment ; and selection is here also the indispensable instrument for 

 realising this " aim." 



The advent of consciousness at a certain stage of organic 

 1 Principles of Economics, p. 678. 



