EVIL AND ALTRUISM IN NATURE 305 



tainly as important as it is among animals. Much of 

 the suffering and imperfection due to inheritance 

 among men may be avoided by the application of pos- 

 sible knowledge to the subject. When man learns to 

 give even as much attention to the propagation of his 

 own species as to that of the domestic animals, 

 human suffering will be greatly decreased. 



It is not necessary that the laws of inheritance be 

 changed, but it is of primary importance for the 

 human race to increase its knowledge of these laws, 

 and to regulate its conduct accordingly. The time 

 will come, I have no doubt, when this subject will, of 

 necessity, receive the attention which its importance 

 demands. Man himself, and not the Creator, is mor- 

 ally responsible for the propagation of known hered- 

 itary diseases, and for the consequent entailment of 

 suffering. 



A large proportion of human suffering is produced 

 by mau's willful transgression of the law. Is this 

 fact consistent with the existence of an omnipotent, 

 beneficent Creator? 



It has been stated that the Creator has established 

 laws which are undoubtedly for the well-being of 

 man. He has created man, who is the highest known 

 work of his hands. Man is superior to all other 

 creatures, not only physically, but especially by reason 

 of his mental and moral powers. 



The fact that he is a moral agent implies that he 

 knows the difference between right and wrong, that he 

 is free to choose his course of conduct, and that he 

 has a conscience which approves or disapproves his 

 motives. 



If he were capable of only one course of conduct, 

 he would not be a moral agent, he would have no con- 

 science — he would be simply a machine. Can it be 

 doubted that he is a far nobler being constituted as 



20 



