darwin and modern science-第124章

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h。　　It　ascribed　fixity　and　finality　to　that　〃creature〃　in　which　an　apostle　taught　us　to　recognise　the　birth…struggles　of　an　unexhausted　progress。　　It　tended　to　banish　mystery　from　the　world　we　see；　and　to　confine　it　to　a　remote　first　age。

In　the　reformed；　the　restored；　language　of　religion；　Creation　became　again　not　a　link　in　a　rational　series　to　complete　a　circle　of　the　sciences；　but　the　mysterious　and　permanent　relation　between　the　infinite　and　the　finite；　between　the　moving　changes　we　know　in　part；　and　the　Power；　after　the　fashion　of　that　observation；　unknown；　which　is　itself　〃unmoved　all　motion's　source。〃　（Hymn　of　the　Church　　　Rerum　Deus　tenax　vigor；　　　Immotus　in　te　permanens。）

With　regard　to　man　it　is　hardly　necessary；　even　were　it　possible；　to　illustrate　the　application　of　this　bolder　faith。　　When　the　record　of　his　high　extraction　fell　under　dispute；　we　were　driven　to　a　contemplation　of　the　whole　of　his　life；　rather　than　of　a　part　and　that　part　out　of　sight。　　We　remembered　again；　out　of　Aristotle；　that　the　result　of　a　process　interprets　its　beginnings。　　We　were　obliged　to　read　the　title　of　such　dignity　as　we　may　claim；　in　results　and　still　more　in　aspirations。

Some　men　still　measure　the　value　of　great　present　facts　in　lifereason　and　virtue　and　sacrificeby　what　a　self…disparaged　reason　can　collect　of　the　meaner　rudiments　of　these　noble　gifts。　　Mr　Balfour　has　admirably　displayed　the　discrepancy；　in　this　view；　between　the　alleged　origin　and　the　alleged　authority　of　reason。　　Such　an　argument　ought　to　be　used　not　to　discredit　the　confident　reason；　but　to　illuminate　and　dignify　its　dark　beginnings；　and　to　show　that　at　every　step　in　the　long　course　of　growth　a　Power　was　at　work　which　is　not　included　in　any　term　or　in　all　the　terms　of　the　series。

I　submit　that　the　more　men　know　of　actual　Christian　teaching；　its　fidelity　to　the　past；　and　its　sincerity　in　face　of　discovery；　the　more　certainly　they　will　judge　that　the　stimulus　of　the　doctrine　of　evolution　has　produced　in　the　long　run　vigour　as　well　as　flexibility　in　the　doctrine　of　Creation　and　of　man。

I　pass　from　Evolution　in　general　to　Natural　Selection。

The　character　in　religious　language　which　I　have　for　short　called　mechanical　was　not　absent　in　the　argument　from　design　as　stated　before　Darwin。　　It　seemed　to　have　reference　to　a　world　conceived　as　fixed。　　It　pointed；　not　to　the　plastic　capacity　and　energy　of　living　matter；　but　to　the　fixed　adaptation　of　this　and　that　organ　to　an　unchanging　place　or　function。

Mr　Hobhouse　has　given　us　the　valuable　phrase　〃a　niche　of　organic　opportunity。〃　　Such　a　phrase　would　have　borne　a　different　sense　in　non…　evolutionary　thought。　　In　that　thought；　the　opportunity　was　an　opportunity　for　the　Creative　Power；　and　Design　appeared　in　the　preparation　of　the　organism　to　fit　the　niche。　　The　idea　of　the　niche　and　its　occupant　growing　together　from　simpler　to　more　complex　mutual　adjustment　was　unwelcome　to　this　teleology。　　If　the　adaptation　was　traced　to　the　influence；　through　competition；　of　the　environment；　the　old　teleology　lost　an　illustration　and　a　proof。　　For　the　cogency　of　the　proof　in　every　instance　depended　upon　the　absence　of　explanation。　　Where　the　process　of　adaptation　was　discerned；　the　evidence　of　Purpose　or　Design　was　weak。　　It　was　strong　only　when　the　natural　antecedents　were　not　discovered；　strongest　when　they　could　be　declared　undiscoverable。

Paley's　favourite　word　is　〃Contrivance〃；　and　for　him　contrivance　is　most　certain　where　production　is　most　obscure。　　He　points　out　the　physiological　advantage　of　the　valvulae　conniventes　to　man；　and　the　advantage　for　teleology　of　the　fact　that　they　cannot　have　been　formed　by　〃action　and　pressure。〃　　What　is　not　due　to　pressure　may　be　attributed　to　design；　and　when　a　〃mechanical〃　process　more　subtle　than　pressure　was　suggested；　the　case　for　design　was　so　far　weakened。　　The　cumulative　proof　from　the　multitude　of　instances　began　to　disappear　when；　in　selection；　a　natural　sequence　was　suggested　in　which　all　the　adaptations　might　be　reached　by　the　motive　power　of　life；　and　especially　when；　as　in　Darwin's　teaching；　there　was　full　recognition　of　the　reactions　of　life　to　the　stimulus　of　circumstance。　　〃The　organism　fits　the　niche；〃　said　the　teleologist；　〃because　the　Creator　formed　it　so　as　to　fit。〃　　〃The　organism　fits　the　niche；〃　said　the　naturalist；　〃because　unless　it　fitted　it　could　not　exist。〃　　〃It　was　fitted　to　survive；〃　said　the　theologian。　　〃It　survives　because　it　fits；〃　said　the　selectionist。　　The　two　forms　of　statement　are　not　incompatible；　but　the　new　statement；　by　provision　of　an　ideally　universal　explanation　of　process；　was　hostile　to　a　doctrine　of　purpose　which　relied　upon　evidences　always　exceptional　however　numerous。　　Science　persistently　presses　on　to　find　the　universal　machinery　of　adaptation　in　this　planet；　and　whether　this　be　found　in　selection；　or　in　direct…effect；　or　in　vital　reactions　resulting　in　large　changes；　or　in　a　combination　of　these　and　other　factors；　it　must　always　be　opposed　to　the　conception　of　a　Divine　Power　here　and　there　but　not　everywhere　active。

For　science；　the　Divine　must　be　constant；　operative　everywhere　and　in　every　quality　and　power；　in　environment　and　in　organism；　in　stimulus　and　in　reaction；　in　variation　and　in　struggle；　in　hereditary　equilibrium；　and　in　〃the　unstable　state　of　species〃；　equally　present　on　both　sides　of　every　strain；　in　all　pressures　and　in　all　resistances；　in　short　in　the　general　wonder　of　life　and　the　world。　　And　this　is　exactly　what　the　Divine　Power　must　be　for　religious　faith。

The　point　I　wish　once　more　to　make　is　that　the　necessary　readjustment　of　teleology；　so　as　to　make　it　depend　upon　the　contemplation　of　the　whole　instead　of　a　part；　is　advantageous　quite　as　much　to　theology　as　to　science。　For　the　older　view　failed　in　courage。　　Here　again　our　theism　was　not　sufficiently　theistic。

Where　results　seemed　inevitable；　it　dared　not　claim　them　as　God…given。　　In　the　argument　from　Design　it　spoke　not　of　God　in　the　sense　of　theology；　but　of　a　Contriver；　immensely；　not　infinitely　wise　and　good；　working　within　a　world；　the　scene；　rather　than　the　ever　dependent　outcome；　of　His　Wisdom；　working　in　such　emergencies　and　opportunities　as　occurred；　by　forces　not　altogether　within　His　control；　towards　an　end　beyond　Himself。　　It　gave　us；　instead　of　the　awful　reverence　due　to　the　Cause　of　all　substance　and　form；　all　love　and　wisdom；　a　dangerously　detached　appreciation　of　an　ingenuity　and　benevolence　meritorious　in　aim　and　often　surprisingly　successful　in　contrivance。

The　old　teleology　was　more　useful　to　science　than　to　religion；　and　the　design…naturalists　ought　to　be　gratefully　remembered　by　Biologists。　　Their　search　for　evidences　led　them　to　an　eager　study　of　adaptations　and　of　minute　forms；　a　study　such　as　we　have　now　an　incentive　to　in　the　theory　of　Natural　Selection。　　One　hardly　meets　with　the　same　ardour　in　microscopical　research　until　we　come　to　modern　workers。　　But　the　argument　from　Design　was　never　of　great　importance　to　faith。　　Still；　to　rid　it　of　this　character　was　worth　all　the　stress　and　anxiety　of　the　gallant　old　war。　　If　Darwin　had　done　nothing　else　for　us；　we　are　to…day　deeply　in　his　debt　for　this。　　The　world　is　not　less　venerable　to　us　now；　not　less　eloquent　of　the　causing　mind；　rather　much　more　eloquent　and　sacred。　　But　our　wonder　is　not　that　〃the　underjaw　of　the　swine　works　under　the　ground〃　or　in　any　or　all　of　those　particular　adaptations　which　Paley　collected　with　so　much　skill；　but　that　a　purpose　transcending；　though　resembling；　our　own　purposes；　is　everywhere　manifest；　that　what　we　live　in　is　a　whole；　mutually　sustaining；　eventful　and　beautiful；　where　the　〃dead〃　forces　feed　the　energies　of　life；　and　life　sustains　a　stranger　existence；　able　in　some　real　measure　to　contemplate　the　whole；　of　which；　mechanically　considered；　it　is　a　minor　product　and　a　rare　ingredient。　　Here；　again；　the　change　was　altogether　positive。　　It　was　not　the　escape　of　a　vessel　in　a　storm　with　loss　of　spars　and　rigging；　not　a　shortening　of　sail　to　save　the　masts　and　make　a　port　of　refuge。　　It　was　rather　the　emergence　from　narrow　channels　to　an　open　sea。　　We　had　propelled　the　great　ship；　finding　purchase　here　and　there　for　slow　and　uncertain　movement。　　Now；　in　deep　water；　we　spread　large　canvas　to　a　favouring　breeze。

The　scattered　traces　of　design　might　be　forgotten　or　obliterated。　　But　the　broad　impression　of　Order　became　plainer　when　seen　at　due　distance　and　in　sufficient　range　of　effect；　and　the　evidence　of　love　and　wisdom　in　the　universe　could　be　trusted　more　securely　for　the　loss　of　the　particular　calculation　of　their　machinery。

Many　other　topics　of　faith　are　affected　by　modern　biology。　　In　some　of　these　we　have　learnt　at　present　only　a　wise　caution；　a　wise　uncertainty。　　We　stand　before　the　newly　unfolded　spectacle　of　suffering；　silenced；　with　faith　not　scientifically　reassured　but　still　holding　fast　certain　other　clues　of　conviction。　　In　many　important　topics　we　are　at　a　loss。　　But　in　others；　and　among　them　those　I　have　mentioned；　we　have　passed　beyond　this　negative　state　and　find　faith　positively　strengthened　and　more　fully　expressed。

We　have　gained　also　a　language　and　a　habit　of　thought　more　fit　for　the　great　and　dark　problems　that　remain；　less　liable　to　damaging　conflicts；　equipped　for　more　rapid　assimilation　of　knowledge。　　And　by　this　change　biology　itself　is　a　gainer。　　For；　relieved　of　fruitless　encounters　with　popular　religion；　it　may　advance　with　surer　aim　along　the　path　of　really　scientific　life…study　which　was　reopened　for　modern　men　by　the　publication　of　〃The　Origin　of　Species〃。

Charles　Darwin　regretted　that；　in　following　science；　he　had　not　done　〃more　direct　good〃　（〃Life　and　Letters〃；　Vol。　III。　page　359。）　to　his　fellow…　creatures。　　He　has；　in　fact；　rendered　substantial　service　to　interests　bound　up　with　the　daily　conduct　and　hopes　of　common　men；　for　his　work　has　led　to　improvements　in　the　preaching　of　the　Christian　faith。


XXV。　　THE　INFLUENCE　OF　DARWINISM　ON　THE　STUDY　OF　RELIGIONS。

By　JANE　ELLEN　HARRISON。　Hon。　D。Litt。　（Durham）；　Hon。　LL。D。　（Aberdeen）；　Staff　Lecturer　and　sometime　Fellow　of　Newnham　College；　Cambridge。　　Corresponding　member　of　the　German　Archaeological　Institute。

The　title　of　my　paper　might　well　have　been　〃the　creation　by　Darwinism　of　the　scientific　study　of　Religions；〃　but　that　I　feared　to　mar　my　tribute　to　a　great　name　by　any　shadow　of　exaggeration。　　Before　the　publication　of　〃The　Origin　of　Species〃　and　〃The　Descent　of　Man〃；　even　in　the　eighteenth　century；　isolated　thinkers；　notably　Hume　and　Herder；　had　conjectured　that　the　orthodox　beliefs　of　their　own　day　were　developments　from　the　cruder　superstitions　of　the　past。　　These　were　however　only　particular　speculations　of　individual　sceptics。　　Religion　was　not　yet　generally　regarded　as　a　proper　subject　for　scientific　study；　with　facts　to　be　collected　and　theories　to　be　deduced。　　A　Congress　of　Religions　such　as　that　recently　held　at　Oxford　would　have　savoured　of　impiety。

In　the　brief　space　allotted　me　I　can　attempt　only　two　things；　first；　and　very　briefly；　I　shall　try　to　indicate　the　normal　attitude　towards　religion　in　the　early　part　of　the　last　century；　second；　and　in　more　detail；　I　shall　try　to　make　clear　what　is　the　outlook　of　advanced　thinkers　to…day。　　（T