Page:Mind (Old Series) Volume 9.djvu/582

 570 LESTER F. WARD : method we must call the other the artificial method. If nature's process is rightly named natural selection, man's process is artifi- cial selection. The survival of the fittest is simply the survival of the strong, which implies, and might as well be called, the destruction of the weak. And if nature progresses through the destruction of the weak, man progresses through the protection of the weak. This is the essential distinction. In human society the psychic power has operated to secure the protection of the weak in two distinct ways : first, by increas- ing the supply of the necessities of life, and, secondly, by pre- venting the destruction of life through the enemies of man. The immediate instrumentality through which the first of these pro- cesses is carried on is art, the product of invention. The second process takes place through the establishment of positive institu- tions. It is difficult to say which of these agencies has been most effective. Both were always indispensable, and therefore all comparison is unprofitable. Art operates to protect the weak against adverse surroundings. It is directed against natural forces, chiefly physical. By thus defeating the destructive influences of the elements and hostile forms of life, and by forcing nature to yield an unnatural supply of man's necessities, many who would have succumbed from ina- bility to resist these adverse agencies the feebler members of society were able to survive, and population increased and ex- panded. While no one openly denies this, there is a tendency either to ignore it in politico-economic discussions, or to deny its application to them as an answer to naturalistic arguments. If, on the other hand, we inquire into the nature of human institutions, we shall perceive that they are of three kinds, tend- ing to protect the weak in three ways, or ascending degrees. These three successively higher means through which this end is attained are, first, Justice, second, Morality, and third, Charity. These forms of action have been reached through the develop- ment, respectively, of the three corresponding sentiments : Equity, Beneficence, and Benevolence. All of these altruistic sentiments are wholly unknown, or known only in the merest embryo, to all animals below man, and there- fore no such means of protection exist among them. They are strictly human, or anthropic. Many evolutionists fail to recog- nise this. Some sociologists refuse to admit it. They look about and see so much injustice, immorality and rapacity that they are led to suppose that only natural methods are in operation in society. This is a great mistake. In point of fact, the keener the sense of justice the more conspicuous the diminishing num- ber of violations of it come to appear, and conversely, the ob- viousness of injustice proves the general prevalence of justice. It is the same with morality and philanthropy. If we consider the effect of these three codes of human con-