Among ourselves the conflicts between Conservatism (which stands for therestraints of society over the individual) and Reform (which stands for theliberty of the individual against society), fall within slowly approximatinglimits. so that the temporary predominance of either produces a less markeddeviation from the medium state -- a smaller disturbance of the moving equilibrium.
Of course in this case, as in preceding cases, there is involved a limitto the increase of heterogeneity. A few pages back, it was shown that anadvance in mental evolution is the establishment of some further internalaction corresponding to some further external action. We inferred that eachsuch new function, involving some new modification of structure, impliesan increase of heterogeneity; and that thus, increase of heterogeneity mustgo on while there remain any outer relations affecting the organism whichare unbalanced by inner relations. Evidently the like must simultaneouslytake place with society. Each increment of heterogeneity in the individualimplies, as cause or consequence, some increment of heterogeneity in thearrangements of the aggregate of individuals. And the limit to social complexitycan be reached only with the establishment of the equilibrium, just described,between social and individual forces. §176. Here presents itself a final question, which has probably beentaking shape in the minds of many while reading this chapter. "If Evolutionof every kind is an increase in complexity of structure and function thatis incidental to the universal process of equilibration, and if equilibrationmust end in complete rest, what is the fate towards which all things tend?
If the Solar System is slowly dissipating its energies -- if the Sun is losinghis heat at a rate which will tell in millions of years -- if with decreaseof the Sun's radiations there must go on a decrease in the activity of geologicand meteorologic processes as well as in the quantity of vegetable and animallife -- if Man and Society are similarly dependent on this supply of energywhich is gradually coming to an end; are we not manifestly processing towardsomnipresent death?"
That such a state must be the outcome of the changes everywhere goingon, seems beyond doubt. Whether any ulterior process may reverse these processesand initiate a new life, is a question to be considered hereafter. For thepresent it must suffice that the end of all the transformations we have traced,is quiescence. This admits of a priori proof. The law of equilibration, notless than the preceding general laws, is deducible from the ultimate datumof consciousness.
The forces of attraction and repulsion being, as shown in §74, universallyco-existent, it follows that all motion is motion under resistance: eitherthat exercised on the moving body by other bodies, or that exercised by themedium traversed. There are two corollaries. The first is that deductionsperpetually made by the communication of motion to that which resists, cannotbut bring the motion of the body to an end in a longer or shorter time. Thesecond is that the motion of the body cannot cease until these deductionsdestroy it. In other words, movement must continue while equilibration isincomplete, and equilibration must eventually become complete. Both theseare manifest deductions from the persistence of force. Hence this primordialtruth is our warrant for the conclusions that the changes which Evolutionpresents cannot end until equilibrium is reached, and that equilibrium mustat last be reached.
At the same time it follows that in every aggregate having compound motions,there results a comparatively early dissipation of the motions which aresmaller and much resisted, followed by long-continuance of the larger andless resisted motions; and that so there arise moving equilibria. Hence,also, may be inferred the tendency to conservation of such moving equilibria.
For any new motion given to the parts of a moving equilibrium by a disturbingforce, must either be such that it cannot be dissipated before the pre-existingmotions, in which case it brings the moving equilibrium to an end. or elseit must be such that it can be dissipated before the pre-existing motions,in which case the moving equilibrium is re-established.
Thus from the persistence of force follow, not only the various directand indirect equilibrations going on around, together with th at cosmicalequilibration which brings Evolution under all its forms to a close, butalso those less manifest equilibrations shown in the readjustments of movingequilibria that have been disturbed. By this ultimate principle is provablethe tendency of every organism, disordered by some unusual influence, toreturn to a balanced state. To it also may be traced the capacity, possessedin a slight degree by individuals and in a greater degree by species, ofbecoming adapted to new circumstances. And not less does it afford a basisfor the inference that there is a gradual advance towards harmony betweenman's mental nature and the conditions of his existence.
