26 ADAPTATION AND PROGRESS 
his unbounded empire over external nature.”! This evaluation of 
the idealizing function of the mind is elaborated in the Systeme 
and in the Subjective Synthesis, and as made concrete in the 
sacerdotal order of positivism appears to most people grotesque, 
yet it contains an element of truth. Whether an illusion or not, 
religion is a power in life that makes for individual and social 
success, and using Comte’s pragmatic test the very fact that it 
works gives us good reason for believing that it is not a mere 
fiction of the mind.” 
There was to be a social hierarchy under positivism yet based 
not on force, or privilege, but on ability with equal opportunity 
to each. This, he grants, would result in inequality in wealth, 
but “ the positive philosophy will show that it is of small impor- 
tance to popular interests in what hands capital is deposited, if its 
employment is duly useful to society at large; and that condition 
depends much more on moral than on political methods. No 
jealous legal provision against the selfish use of wealth, and no 
mischievous intervention, paralyzing social activity by political 
prohibition, can be nearly so effectual as general reprobation, 
grounded on an ascertained principle under the reign of positive 
morality.” * Thus social control, according to our author, is a 
potent factor in social progress, but to be effective it must be 
based on a knowledge of the laws of social development, and be 
inspired by a desire to enhance the well-being of humanity at 
large. 
It is commonly stated that the two leading teachings of the 
Positive Philosophy are the law of the three stages and the 
hierarchy of the sciences, but most fundamental of all is Comte’s 
conception of all humanity forming a living, growing entity or 
“ general mind.” The doctrine as developed may be stated as 
follows: (1) Society is an organism, (2) with a structure in which 
all parts are co-ordinated, each adapted to the whole and to its 
function, (3) each stage in the process of development growing out 
of the past, growing into the future and adapted to its environ- 
1 Positive Philosophy, ii, pp. 164, 165. Cf. A General View, pp. 364 ff. 
2 Cf. Carver, The Religion Worth Having, p. 89. 
3 Positive Philosophy, ii, p. 486. 
