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[Chapter 6. Competition Replaces Conflict in the Development ofWider Associations] 50. The significance of the nervous system is that it enables the various parts to coordinate on the basis ofan end, while the organism so far as it has no nervous system can unify itself only on the basis of superial physical force. Give an animal a nervous system and it means that these critical stimuli are reduced to being claims and the nervous system is the umpire which decides which claim is superior. The nervous system is a scheme for translating things in terms of past into things in terms offuture. In the nervous system on the peripheral side, we have continued development of the sense organ. On the central side, is one of integration. The third phase is growth of connecting fibers. The lack of a nervous system means that the preponderance of discharge depends on a superior amount of stimulus. The opposite, then, never has the social value as such, but it is through the stimulus it gives to consciousness that it has a value. 5l. For example, what has been the value of war? Sometimes it is deified as an instrument ofadvancement. Contrary [to that), it is said war is simply a hindrance to development. So far, war remains purely physical; it is a hindrance. But in so far as the friction induces to reflection [which is) translated over into thought, in so far, it may become an instrument ofsocial progress. That is, war [as) anticipated leads to precaution. This is purely on the intellectual side and not an overt act. Even though this is a function of opposition, does it really do that? [The) answer is: How far has society a nervous system? First question: Is society organic? Second question: Is society organized? This last is: How far has it got some instrumentality by which it anticipates possible frictions so far that it can coordinate them on the basis of an end? 52. In the stage ofadaptation ofindividual to his surroundings, we have seen that the individual participates in society and also contributes to society.27 Now every such adaptation is at the expense ofsegregation. It marks an objective isolation and segregation ofsuch a social group; that is, the social group can't adapt itself to the whole environment, but selects a local environment and adapts itself to that, neglecting the rest. It forms for itself the habits which are able to cope with a more or less marked off and particular environment. For example, a social group on the seashore grows up as a seafaring people. The earlier forms of social adaptation, because they must be made on the basis of comparatively local environment, will represent one-sided values from the standpoint of the whole. On the basis of such an adaptation, one of these groups will develop 139 140 Lectures on Political Ethics powers which will carry it beyond its local restrictions. The seafaring people will make boats and go beyond the shore to fish. That is, the habits they have developed to complete use oftheir situation lead them beyond that situation. Both habits on the subjective side, and instruments on the subjective28 side, develop to make a social group master of their environment, actually, must lead them beyond [it]. 53. The individual reflects the social status of his time-without individual rights in primitive times. Social conflicts don't arise within the group for the individual is more or less parasitic [upon the group]. Through the use of habits built up to extend the environment, [the friction1may easily lead to conflict. We have then the segregation ofdifferent social groups on the basis ofdifferent local environment, then complete mastery of environment, then conflict between these various segregated groups on the basis of trying to enlarge the environment . The movement underlying the conflict has positive value. It is the symptom of enlarged environment and again of contact between different groups. 54. So long as groups are, physically, entirely separated there can be no physical disintegration. Through this contact of previously segregated groups, the competitive phase ofsocial action arises. Ifthe conflict is purely physical, it cannot be of value as a stimulus. When the groups attempt to define to themselves the end [to1which they wish to react, the conflict becomes a competition. The unconscious life ofhabits, in other words, is replaced by a life of reflection. The group no longer unconsciously goes on living, but is conscious of the end and analyzes the present situation...

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