And this cannot be done so long as we contemplate the mere individual in isolation. We cannot remain at the level of bare individuality. Personality itself is not a merely individual product: neither the knowledge nor the activity of the individual can be explained without reference to his position as a member of society; his inheritance is a social inheritance. Nor can the individual establish a claim to deal with his own personality as a merely individual end. It is a factor in social life; and, in systematising his own life, he must have regard to the social factor. In this respect he attains goodness only when his individual life seeks a unity higher than that of his own individuality, and not centred in his selfish interests. From this point of view we may say, again negatively, that goodness consists in the suppression of selfishness. But once again there is a difficulty about the positive description. Many moralists, undoubtedly, are content to rest with the social aspect: to regard the 'health' or 'vitality' of society as the final expression of morality. But a life which is simply absorbed by society cannot be said to be a perfect unity. Society itself is a process; and its changes are determined in large measure by the moral ideals of its members. For its unity we must look to an end--an ideal--of which its actual forms can offer indications only. Both man and society are factors in a universal order; and their perfection cannot be independent of the purpose of this order. When the consciousness of it fills man's life, morality is merged in religion. INDEX. Absolute, the, 101 ff. as good, 105. as not good, 104. Altruism, 15 ff., 74 f., 118. Appearance, 101 ff. Approbation, 111 ff. Aristotle, 87. Artificial selection, 61 ff. Austen, Jane, 4 n. Benevolence, 16. Bentham, J., 4 n. Bradley, F.H., 88, 100 ff. Browning, R., 31. Characteristics of goodness, 113. reality, 103. Competition between groups, 52 f., 58, 74, 79. ideas, 53 ff. individuals, 52, 74, 79. Content of morality, agreement as to, 7. Christian morality, 7, 18, 20. Cosmic process and moral order, 46 ff. Darwin, C., 35 ff., 39 ff., 57, 60, 62. Degrees of reality, 103 ff. Descriptive ethics, 76 ff. theory of science, 129. Desire and goodness, 90 ff., 102, 110 ff. Distinction of good and evil, 93 ff., 113. Egoism, 15 ff., 74 f., 118. Empiricism, 3. _Ens reale_, 102. _realissimum_, 102. Environment, moral, 70 ff. Epicurus, 17. Eternal mind, the, 96 ff. Ethical controversies at present day, 13 ff. in nineteenth century, 1 ff. Ethical unity of things, 133 ff. Ethics of evolution, 36 ff. Evolution, ethical significance of, 51, 67 ff. Evolution of ethics, 36 ff. Evolution, theory of, 33 ff., 36 ff. Exceptional cases, 11. Experiments in morality, 50. Fichte, J.G., 87. Fittest, survival of the, 35, 69 ff. Galt, J., 4 n. Good, the true, 92 ff. Goodness as appearance, 102 ff. Goodness as contradictory, 117. Green, T.H., 77 n., 89 ff., 123. Guyau, 125 f.