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Proceedings of the Royal Society 
quality and quantity of physical life which is the first aspect of the 
biological ; but the maximum evolution of mental and moral 
nature which underlies the two former. The problem, in fact, 
inverts itself, becoming not merely how to fill bellies, but how to 
place brains in the conditions most favourable to their development 
and activity, and so the problem of practical psychological economics 
passes into that of education. The supremacy of the eesthetic 
factor in production, demonstrated under “ Physical Principles,” is 
thus explained : — The modification of the environment which is the 
object of production, while primarily addressing the nutritive 
system and attending to protective needs, must culminate 'in that 
complex organisation of the environment which, deliberately 
addressing itself to the stimulus and evolution of the sensory 
activities, is of such importance for the process of cerebral evolu- 
tion (a wealth of impressions being the indispensable raw material 
of the most complex or highly generalised intellectual conceptions), 
and which we therefore term fine art. 
Summary of Chapters I. -III. 
§ 43. At this point it is convenient to pause and briefly review the 
results of these analyses. Passing over the criticism of economic 
literature, (1) the physical analysis led to the exposition of the 
mechanical aspect of society ; to the reorganisation of the theory 
of production and consumption, culminating in the generalisa- 
tion of the synergy of the race. (2) The biological chapter 
outlined the higher aspect of the same phenomena, defined pro- 
duction, &c., and discussed the relation of organism to the 
environment and function — a definition of production being 
obtained in terms of maintenance and evolution. (3) A psycho- 
logical outline in harmony with the present state of science was 
attempted ; and many subjects not usually treated under econo- 
mics were seen to form an integral part of the subject. Yet this 
is by no means sufficient ; a sociological analysis is wanting ; and 
the whole series of analyses are but materials for a subsequent 
synthesis. But a pause may reasonably be made before entering on 
this, and a clear gain has been made if these results are plain {a) 
that the analysis of so-called systems of political economy is neces- 
