Transcriber's Note:
Errors listed in the Errata have been corrected.
ON
MR. SPENCER'S
DATA OF ETHICS.
By MALCOLM GUTHRIE,
AUTHOR OF
"ON MR. SPENCER'S FORMULA OF EVOLUTION," & "ON MR. SPENCER'S
UNIFICATION OF KNOWLEDGE."
LONDON:
THE MODERN PRESS,
13 and 14, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
1884.
——
(All rights reserved.)
CONTENTS.
| PAGE | |
| Chapter I.—Ethics and the Unification of Knowledge. The Philosophical View | 1 |
| Chapter II.—The Scientific View of the Evolution of Ethics | 27 |
| Chapter III.—The Biological View of Ethics | 36 |
| Chapter IV.—The Sociological View | 56 |
| Chapter V.—The Ethical Imperative | 63 |
| Chapter VI.—Systems of Ethics | 75 |
| Chapter VII.—The Evolution of Free Will | 83 |
| Chapter VIII.—Evolution and Religion | 107 |
| Chapter IX.—Summary | 120 |
PREFACE.
This volume completes the critical examination of Mr. Spencer's systemof Philosophy already pursued through two previous volumes entitledrespectively "On Mr. Spencer's Formula of Evolution," and "On Mr.Spencer's Unification of Knowledge." The entire task has been undertakenby a student for the use of students. It cannot be of much use to thegeneral reader, as it presumes and indeed requires a very intimateknowledge of Mr. Spencer's works. For those who do not wish to enterinto detailed examination perhaps Chapter I. of the "Unification ofKnowledge" will afford a good epitome of the line of criticism; and thismay be followed, if desired, by a perusal of the "Formula of Evolution."It is believed that the most serious piece of criticism against Mr.Spencer's system will be found in the examination of his re-constructiveBiology in Chapter V. of the "Unification," and in the examination ofthe origin of organic molecules [Pg vi]commencing at page 30 of the "Formulaof Evolution." Evidently of the highest importance in a system ofphilosophy conceived in the manner in which Mr. Spencer presents it,this point of transition between the inorganic and the organic with itsdependent historie