CHAPTEE VI 



SELECTION : OEGANIC AND SOCIAL 



Influence of Malthus — Darwin's Position — The Theory stated — The 

 Theory of Natural Selection to be tested as an Interpretative 

 Formula — Illustrations of Natural Selection — Objections and 

 Criticisms — Adaptations — Changes since Darwin's Day — 

 Evidences of Natural Selection — Lessening the Burden of the 

 Theory — Sexual Selection — Isolation — Gradual Diminution of 

 Natural Selection in Mankind — Contrast between the Human 

 Race and the Animal World — Some Natural Selection 

 remains — The Dilemma of Civilisation — The extreme laissez- 

 faire Position — Social Surgery — How far is Social Selection 

 compensating for Diminished Natural Selection ? — Reversed 

 Selection in Human Society — Summary of the Argument — 

 Constructive Suggestions — Selection of Eutopias — Selection of 

 Healthful Occupations — Eugenic Selection. 



Darwin is often called the Newton of biology, 

 though some say he was rather its Copernicus. 

 In any case, he discerned in nature the working of 

 a great process, which has helped us to understand 

 how things have come to be as they are. Among 

 his services there is none greater than this, that he 

 discovered the efficacy of Natural Selection, which 

 means Nature's sifting. The raw materials are 

 inborn variations ; the internal condition is the 

 heritability of the favourable variations ; the 

 external condition is the struggle for existence ; 

 the process of sifting is discriminate eUmination ; 

 the result is the survival of the fittest to the given 

 conditions. 

 Influence of Malthus.— Adumbrations of the 



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