A Review of the Systems of Ethics Founded on the Theory of EvolutionWilliams, Cora May
Philosophy
A Review of the Systems of Ethics Founded on the Theory of Evolution
Williams, Cora May
Ethics, Evolutionary
_Ceteris paribus_, an increase of individual energy is an advantage to
society; and, as a matter of fact, we find that civilized society
differs conspicuously from the ruder in stimulating more vigorously and
systematically the various energies of its members. The most conspicuous
virtue of this class is the virtue of courage. In more primitive
conditions, courage, as necessary to the preservation of society, is
regarded as a virtue in itself; later, some mixture of judgment and
reason is required in its exercise; and finally, since it may be
combined with other anti-social qualities, it is not approved in the
same manner as the more directly social virtues. Courage is now regarded
merely as one manifestation of a character which is fitted for all the
requirements of social existence.
The courage of the bulldog is blind instinct. Where such an instinct
exists, the animal survives by reason of it, not because he forms any
conscious judgment of its advantages. It seems necessary to suppose that
races owed their survival to military prowess when reflection was still
in the most rudimentary stage. The utility of courage must have been a
very obvious discovery as soon as reflection became possible; but the
quality must have existed, in some degree, before it could be
discovered, although the existence of a distinct moral sentiment
doubtless implies some reflection. Moreover, the instincts which imply a
perception of utility must themselves comply with the conditions of
existence, must themselves be useful. Increased intelligence might act
to the disadvantage of the race by increasing selfish cowardice through
a keener perception of personal, as distinct from social, risk; but this
cannot be true ultimately, since we perceive that intelligent races have
an advantage; we may suppose that those races are most successful in
which a perception of the vitality of courage goes along with an
increase of courage. This principle must be regarded, therefore, as
working, not only through the less conscious instinct of the lower
races, but also upon the judgments of a highly civilized society. The
like is true, _mutatis mutandis_, of other qualities (such as industry,
energy, and so forth) which belong to the same class.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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