garding the causes and process of Descent which alone 

 can be called Darwinism, has on the other hand doubtlessly 

 waned in influence and prestige." 



This is exactly what we also maintain : The establish- 

 ment of the theory of Descent in general, and the continual 

 retrogression of Darwinism in particular. Wigand was en- 

 tirely right when he said that Darwinism would not live be- 

 yond the century. 



We may, however, derive from the discussions of Go- 

 ette something else that is of the highest importance, name- 

 ly, an admission in which is to be found the real and funda- 

 mental explanation of the conduct of the majority of 

 naturalists who still cling to Darwinism. It does not con- 

 sist in the fact that they are convinced of the truth of 

 Darwinism but in their "reluctance to give up the mechan- 

 ical explanation of finality proposed by Darwin," or rather 

 in the fear of being driven to the recognition of theistic 

 principles. With commendable candor Goette attacks this 

 method of keeping up a system notwithstanding its recog- 

 nized deficiencies. Goette furthermore points out especial- 

 ly that this recognition is more widespread than one might 

 be able to gather from occasional discussions on the sub- 

 ject. 



From the account which Goette gives of the present 

 status of Darwinism we may safely conclude that Darwin- 

 ism had entered upon a period of decay; it is in the third 

 stage of a development through which many a scientific 

 doctrine has already passed. 



The four stages of this development are the follow- 

 ing: 



45 



