The life and letters of Herbert Spencer / by David Duncan.

  • David Duncan
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The life and letters of Herbert Spencer / by David Duncan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    626/692 (page 576)
    in an interval of forty years, this topic came up once more to be dealt with in the light of the results which had then been reached. No essential changes of the views set forth in Social Statics proved needful ; but there came to be recognized a deeper origin for its fundamental principle. The assertion of the liberty of each limited only by the like liberties of all, was shown to imply the doctrine that each ought to receive the benefits and bear the evils entailed by his actions, carried on within these limits ; and Biology had shown that this principle follows from the ultimate truth that each creature must thrive or dwindle, live or die, according as it fulfils well or ill the conditions of its existence—a principle which, in the case of social beings, implies that the activities of each must be kept within the bounds imposed by the like activities of others. So that, while among inferior creatures survival of the fittest is the outcome of aggressive competition, among men as socially combined it must be the outcome of non-aggressive competition : maintenance of the implied limits, and insurance of the benefits gained within the limits, being what we call justice. And thus, this ultimate principle of social conduct was affiliated upon the general process of organic evolution. “ Negative beneficence ” was recognized as a needful supple- ment to Justice. While society in its corporate capacity is bound to enforce Justice to the uttermost, there falls on each individual, acting independently, the obligation to refrain from doing some things which the law of equal freedom warrants him in doing. This special obligation follows from the general obligation of each to discharge his debt to the society which has fostered him : doing this by aiding in its improvement—by cultivating a sympathy such as will not tolerate the taking of every advantage strict justice accords. But it was held that this qualification of the dictates of justice by those of negative beneficence must be left to the private judgment of each. In the final division “Positive Beneficence,” not passive altruism was enjoined, but active altruism. In the chapter on “ The Evolution of Conduct,” it was shown that the highest life, and consequently the highest happiness, can be reached only when “all the members of a society give mutual help in the achievement of ends” ; and, by implication, can be reached only when they give mutual help in the avoidance of evils. In this final division it was contended that, while there is an indirect obligation on each to maintain and improve that social state which gives him the facilities of living he enjoys, he gains by cultivating the feelings which cause fulfilment of this obliga- tion ; since the sympathy which prompts alleviation of others’ pains is the same sympathy which makes possible the partici- pation in others’ pleasures, and therefore exalts personal happiness. March, 1899.