New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-07

.bara can he M ,uerNcation for self-sacrtice
how does it happen that an act Oh 'iSs MINI
meets the approval Of all men! Accoruihs ~
Mr. Kidd science itself must approve THESE dc'S
against reason which are felt TO make for the
good of others at loss to ones sell. II approves
Them not in themselves but because the Dement'S
resulting from them have been shown In the
mast history of the race Science must, there
fore for the present at least. conccde the value
of ultra rational sanctions for social conduct
and the principle Is reached that "A rational re-
ligion is a scientific impossbility representing
from the nature OF the case an inherent contra
diction OF terms" In the ideals which ne
reverences the individual finds the motives for
doing that which for himself he would never DO
His tendency as a rational being would lie in the
direction OF social chaos. His self-assertiveness
Is the dlsintegrating factor in his relations TO
society. But society itself IS only the outward
embodiment Of a fact in his own nature which
makes his will subordinate to the convenience
of the organism Of which he forms part
Any religion Is OF course. to its adherents
much more than is here outlined. The very fact
that 1t is divine. seems to be so. involves 1t
In a web of doctrine and custom and observance
which. considered scientifically. is Of minor i'm
portance But, bologicaly. religion is merely
"a form Of belief providing an ultra ational
sanction for that large class of conduct in the
individual where his interests and the interests
of the social organism antaSonistic and by
which the former are rendered subordinate TO
the latter in the general interests of the evolu-
ton which the race is undergoing" The evolu-
ton Of the race is then not intellectual There
is no proof that mentally the modern man is
better equipped than his predecessors. Indeed.
everything goes to show that the average in
telligence of the cultured classes now is below
the level of that which characterized the Greeks
Another fact which points TO the same conclu-
sion is that the reproductive power of the race
Is lessened by intellectual development The
fabric Of humanity is continually supplied from
below. And 1t is just the highly cultured classes
in which the unconscious forces of evolution are
least potent. 1t Is among them that the resist
to the impulses which the author groups
under the name OF religion is strongest. They
pronounce their own doom as they search In vain
for some ra ional procedure which will harmonic
the objects Of individual life and the tendencies
to social perfection. The only harmony possible
between these two aspects of human life lies in
the fact that the former always yields to the
latter Socialism on a rational basis is impos-
sble The evolution OF humanity in the past
shows what the direction of future progress must
be- The sacrifice of the individual to the race
must continue. Mr. Spencer looks for concilia-
ton between the interests Of each citizen and
the interests Of citizens at large. tending ever
toward state in which the two become merged
in one. and in which the feelings answering 10
them respectively fall into complete concord. This
is inconsistent, according to Mr.. Kidd. with the
teachings of evolutionary science. The forces"
he says (which at work in the evolution
Of society are certainly, on the whole. working
out the greatest good of the greatest number
in q progressive community. But the earlier
unitarian conception OF the greatest number
has always related merely to the majority OF
the existing members Of society at any time. The
greatest good which the evolutionary forces
operating in society working out is the good
OF the social organism a whole The great
est number in this sense IS comprised OF the
members Of generations yet unborn or unthought
Of TO whose interests the existing individuals
are absolutely Indifferent And IN the process
Of social evolution which the race is undergo
ing. 1t is these latter interests which are always
in the ascendant" AS read these lines we
seem to be listening again 10 the eloquent voice
of Schopenhauer persuading US against reason.