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
The remainder of Part II. of the "Principles of Ethics" is occupied with
data cited to show that the amount of internal aggression, of revenge
and robbery, is greater among peoples much occupied with external
aggression, and that these decrease, while justice, generosity (which
Mr. Spencer defines as having a double root, in the philoprogenitive
instinct and the relatively modern feeling of sympathy), humanity
(including kindness, pity, mercy), filial obedience, and industry,
increase as more peaceful habits are reached. A greater veracity is also
indirectly the result of this evolution, since a coercive internal
structure of society is connected with external enmity, and such
coercive structure is unfavorable to veracity. Chastity also increases
with the social evolution, though it does not necessarily characterize
societies of the non-militant type. Its increase is connected with the
growth of the higher moral and aesthetic feelings; romantic love plays a
predominant part in our art. Intemperance, as causing, indirectly,
social evil by a lowering of social efficiency, must, in like manner,
decrease with social advancement.
In summing up his inductions, Spencer says: "Though, as shown in my
first work, 'Social Statics,' I once espoused the doctrine of the
intuitive moralists,... yet it has gradually become clear to me that the
qualifications required practically obliterate the doctrine as
enunciated by them. It has become clear to me that if, among ourselves,
the current belief is that a man who robs and does not repent will be
eternally damned, while an accepted proverb among the Bilochs is, that
'God will not favor a man who does not steal and rob'; it is impossible
to hold that men have in common an innate perception of right and wrong.
"But now, while we are shown that the moral sense doctrine in its
original form is not true, we are also shown that it adumbrates a truth,
and a much higher truth. For the facts cited... unite in proving that
the sentiments and ideas current in each society become adjusted to the
kinds of activity predominating in it.... If the life of internal amity
continues unbroken from generation to generation, there must result not
only the appropriate code, but the appropriate emotional nature.... Men
so conditioned will acquire, to the degree needful for complete
guidance, that innate conscience which intuitive moralists erroneously
suppose to be possessed by mankind at large. There needs but a
continuance of absolute peace externally, and a rigorous insistance on
non-aggression internally, to insure the moulding of men into a form
naturally characterized by all the virtues." Complete exemption from war
has already been attained by some few isolated peoples. "May we not
reasonably infer that the state reached by these small uncultured tribes
may be reached by the great cultured nations, when the life of internal
amity shall be unqualified by the life of external enmity?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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