500 HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT 



2. Perpetuation and Improvement of the 

 Species the highest Ethical Obligation. — 

 Among all organisms the race or species is of 

 paramount importance. Race preservation, not 

 self preservation, is the first law of nature. 

 Among all organisms the perpetuation and 

 welfare of the race are cared for by the strong- 

 est instincts. In very many species of animals 

 reproduction means the death of the individual. 

 The breeding instinct drives every male bee, 

 every male and female salmon, to its certain 

 death in order that the race may be perpetu- 

 ated. Among the higher organisms the 

 strongest of all the instincts are those con- 

 nected with reproduction. But in the human 

 species intellect and freedom come in to inter- 

 fere with instinct. The reproductive instincts 

 are not merely controlled by reason, as they 

 should be, but to an alarming extent they are 

 thwarted and perverted among intelligent 

 people. 



The struggle to be free is part of a great 

 evolutionary movement, but the freedom must 

 be a sane one which neither injures others nor 

 eliminates posterity. The feminist movement 



