These indications
make more easy the decisions as to Right and Wrong.
The more we think upon and work out into detail this view of Morality as
based on Evolution, the more we realise its soundness, and the more we
find that the moral law is as discoverable by observation, by reason,
and by experiment, as any other law of Nature. If a man disregards it,
either ignorantly or wilfully, he suffers. A man may disregard physical
hygienic and sanitary laws because of his ignorance; none the less will
he suffer from physical disease. A man may disregard moral laws because
of ignorance; none the less will he suffer from moral disease. The sign
of disease in both cases is pain and unhappiness; experts in both cases
warn us, and if we disregard the warning, we learn its truth later by
experience. There is no hurry; but the law is sure. Working with the
law, man evolves swiftly with happiness; working against it, he evolves
slowly with pain. In either case, he evolves, advancing joyously as a
free man, or scourged onwards as a slave. The most obstinate fool in
life's class, refusing to learn, fortunately dies and cannot quite
escape after death the knowledge of his folly.
Let the reader try for himself the solution of moral problems,
accepting, as a hypothesis, the facts of evolution and of the two halves
of its huge spiral, and see for himself if this view does not offer a
rational, intelligible, practical meaning to the much-vexed words, Right
and Wrong.
Pages:
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45