Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/699

 RELATION BETWEEN SOCIOLOGY AND ETHICS 683

This implies a fundamental imperfection in our sociology. Tolstoi accentu- ates the divergence of these two codes in the strongest possible manner by holding out as the highest ethical virtue the duty of absolutely refusing to fight for your country. In any case, this divergence of the two standards indicates radical imperfections in our social system, the gradual removal of which would appear to be the principal constituent of progress, in any true sense of the word. One of the most pressing problems of ethics would seem to be the concentration of such action of the individual on the society to which he belongs as shall tend to this result. In other words, our large department of ethics would seem to consist in efforts to bring about the peaceful intercourse of nations by steadfast resistance to what is commonly known as imperialism.

Coming to the concluding part of Professor Hoffding's discourse, I wish to express my concurrence in his view that ethics lies on the borderland between art and science. Each step of ethical progress is a reaction of the individual on the social environment around him. It implies a free, spon- taneous action. It implies something creative, something inspired ; as when the Hebrew prophets in the eighth century before Christ rose above the narrow ritual of their tribal god to a vision of justice and pity. Ethical inspira- tion, as I conceive it, must always be guided by the laws of sociology; must be in accordance with them; but must always transcend them, just as the genius of the musical composer transcends the laws of counterpoint, while recognizing their validity.

We come here to the region of thought which sociology and ethics occupy in common : the study of the formation of character ; the inquiry how social institutions act on the individual ; the whole department of inherited attributes known to us as " eugenics ; " the whole business of the education of the man or woman from birth, or from before birth, till old age. This is at once the highest branch of sociology, and may be taken as a point of departure for ethics. At any rate, it is matter for scientific treatment. When we come to the reaction of the individual on society, we find ourselves in a different region. Science is not dumb here; but it has less to say to us than imagination inspired by love. To follow with due humility in the track of Dante's pil- grimage, we might say that Virgil recedes into the background and Beatrice becomes the guide. Ethics cannot dispense with science; it will need it more and more. But, in its highest sense, the conduct of life is not a science, but an art. It is not a problem, but a poem.

DR. WESTERMARCK : * If I have anything to add for my own part to Pro- fessor Hoffding's paper, the reason is that the terms " sociology " and " ethics "

Dr. E. Westermarck, author of The History of Human Marriage, needs no introduction to American students of sociology ; but they may be interested to know that he now holds an appointment in the University of London the first lectureship in sociology established in a British university. Coincidently with the formation of the Sociological Society in London in 1903, one of its founders, Mr. Martin White, provided funds for sociological teaching in the University of London, and in this connection Dr. Westermarck was last year invited to a