The Whence and the Whither of Man

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.

PAGE

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM: THE MODE OF ITS SOLUTION.

. 1

The question. The two theories of man's origin.-The argument purely

historical.-Means of tracing man's ancestry and history.-Classification.
-Ontogenesis and Phylogenesis.

CHAPTER II

PROTOZOA TO WORMS: CELLS, TISSUES, AND ORGANS. 32

Amoeba: Its anatomy and physiology.-Development of the cell.—

Hydra: The development of digestive and reproductive organs, and of
tissues.-Forms intermediate between amoeba and hydra: Magosphæra,
volvox.-Embryonic development.-Turbellaria: Appearance of a body
wall, of ganglion, and nerve-cords.

CHAPTER III

WORMS TO VERTEBRATES: SKELETON AND HEAD 55

Worms and the development of organs.-Mollusks: The external protec-

tive skeleton leads to degeneration or stagnation.—Annelids and arthro-

pods: The external locomotive skeleton leads to temporary rapid advance,

but fails of the goal.-Its disadvantages.-Vertebrates: The internal loco-

motive skeleton leads to backbone and brain.-Reasons for their dominance

-The primitive vertebrate.

CHAPTER IV

VERTEBRATES: BACKBONE AND BRAIN

The advance of vertebrates from fish through amphibia and reptiles to
mammals.-The development of skeleton, appendages, circulatory and
respiratory systems, and brain. -Mammals: The oviparous monotremata.
-Marsupials.-Placental mammals.-Development of the placenta.-Prim-
ates.-Arboreal life and the development of the hand.-Comparison of man
with the highest apes. -Recapitulation of the history of man's origin and
development.-The sequence of dominant functions.

CHAPTER V

THE HISTORY OF MENTAL DEVELOPMENT AND ITS
SEQUENCE OF FUNCTIONS

PAGE

113

Mode of investigation.- Intellect. - Sense-perceptions.-Association. —
Inference and understanding.-Rational intelligence.-Modes of mental or
nervous action.-Reflex action, unconscious and comparatively mechanical.
-Instinctive action: The actor is conscious, but guided by heredity.—In-
telligent action.-The actor is conscious, guided by intelligence resulting
from experience or observation.-The will stimulated by motives.-Appe-
tites.-Fear and other prudential considerations.-Care for young and love
of mates.-The dawn of unselfishness.-Motives furnished by the rational
intelligence: Truth, right, duty.-Recapitulation: The will, stimulated by
ever higher motives, is finally to be dominated by unselfishness and love
of truth and righteousness.-These rouse the only inappeasable hunger,
and are capable of indefinite development.-Strength of these motives.—
Their complete dominance the goal of human development.

CHAPTER VI

NATURAL SELECTION AND ENVIRONMENT

. . 152

The reversal of the sequence of functions leads to extermination, degen-
eration, or, rarely, to stagnation.-Natural selection becomes more un-
sparing as we go higher.-Extinction.-Severity of the struggle for life.—
Environment one.-But lower animals come into vital relation with but a
small part of it.-It consists of a myriad of forces, which, as acting on a

given form, may be considered as one grand resultant.-Environment is

thus a power making at first for digestion and reproduction, then for mus-

cular strength and activity, then for shrewdness, finally for unselfishness

and righteousness.-An ultimate "power, not ourselves, making for right-

eousness," a personality. Our knowledge of this personality may be valid,

even though very incomplete.-Religion.-Conformity to the spiritual in

or behind environment is likeness to God.-The conservative tendency in

evolution.

CHAPTER VII

CONFORMITY TO ENVIRONMENT

Human environment.-The development of the family as the school of

man's training.—The family as the school of unselfishness and obedience.
-The family as the basis of social life.-Society as an aid to conformity
to environment by increasing intelligence and training conscience.-Mental
and moral heredity.-Personal magnetism.-Man's search for a king.—
The essence of Christianity.-Conformity to environment gives future
supremacy, but often at the cost of present hardship.-Conformity as
obedience to the laws of our being.-Environment best understood through
the study of the human mind.-Productiveness and prospectiveness of
vital capital.-Faith.

CHAPTER VIII

MAN.

. 210

Composed of atoms and molecules, hence subject to chemical and physi-

cal laws.-As a living being.-As an animal.-As a vertebrate.-As a

mammal.-As a social being.-As a personal and moral being.--The con-

flict between the higher and the lower in man.-As a religious being.—As

hero. He has not yet attained.-Future man. He will utilize all his

powers, duly subordinating the lower to the higher.-The triumph of the

common people.

PAGE

177

CHAPTER IX

THE TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE.

241

Subject of the Bible.-Man: Body, intellect, heart.-God: Law, sin,
and penalty.-God manifested in Christ.-Salvation, the divine life per-
meating man.-Faith.-Prayer.-Hope.-The Church.-The battle.-The
victory. The crown.