302 ADAPTATION AND PROGRESS 
making a strong appeal to the individual who desires social esteem 
and dreads the shame of social disapproval.1_ Types complete in 
every feature, however, are provided only for the chief positions 
in life. For the rest, society by dissecting and comparing normal 
conduct for all sorts of exigencies brings to light certain resem- 
blances; but each individual has to work out for himself his own 
personal ideal. 
The generalized types formulated by society by a process of 
passive adjustment furnish the background for conventional 
ethics; the personal acceptance of and reaction on these general- 
ized types furnish the highest form of reflective ethics? ‘ The 
greatest effect of an ideal,” says Ross, “ is not attained when it is 
pitched very far above natural inclination,” — otherwise it will 
attract such a slender portion of the whole area of variation that 
it will benefit very few people; yet on the other hand too low a 
standard may do no good by not being far enough above the 
average to raise it. 
Idealization, according to our author, is a powerful means of 
control and at present has more promise than any of its rivals, — 
though not a final form. ‘‘ Social order will have to rest on arti- 
fice till there is joined to natural altruism, as we find it developing 
in the family, a clearness of vision that sees in the upright dis- 
charge of the requirements of every social office and station the 
highest ministry to the welfare of our fellows.” 4 He does not 
show how this vision is to be secured, however, — for this vision 
itself needs to be interpreted in terms of adaptation. 
Art, according to Ross, as with Comte, is the means of express- 
ing ideals. It functions in social progress by arousing the pas- 
sions, by kindling sympathy, by exploiting the aesthetic sense and 
the sense of the sublime, by perfecting social symbols and by 
fascinating with new types. It performs one of its greatest 
functions in transmuting realities and in veiling with some attrac- 
tive image the grisly features of hardship, mutilation, and death, 
especially in its glorification of war and sacrifice when these are 
needed. Art softens inevitable ills, persuades to present hardship 
1 Social Control, p. 235. 3 Ibid., p. 243. 
2 Tbid., p. 242. 4 Ibid., p. 246. 
