EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

CONTENTS

PART I

DISHARMONIES IN THE NATURE OF MAN

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION-SUMMARY OF CPINIONS ON THE NATURE of Man

Importance of the study of the nature of man-The nature of

man as the foundation of morality-Greek worship of human

nature-Matriopathy of ancient philosophers-Rationalism

of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries-Degradation of

human nature by religious doctrines-Influence of these con-

ceptions on actual life and on art-Reaction of the Reforma.

tion against the degradation of human nature-Mutilation of

the human body by primitive races

The organised world before the appearance of man on the

earth-Absence of a law of universal progress-Fertilisation

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of vanilla-The part played by insects in the fertilisation of

orchids-Mechanism by which insects carry the pollen of

orchids-Habits of fossorial wasps-Harmonies in nature-

Useless organs-Rudiments of the pollinia of orchids-

Disharmonies in nature-Unadapted insects-Aberration of

instincts-Perversion of sexual instinct-Attraction of insects

by light-Luminous insects-Law of natural selection-

Happiness and unhappiness in the organised world

SIMIAN ORIGIN of Man

CHAPTER III

Relationship of the human species with anthropoid apes-

Analogies in the dentition, in the organisation of the limbs and

of the brain-Resemblance of the vermiform appendage of

man and anthropoids-Analogy between the placenta and

fœtus of man and anthropoid apes-Blood relationship of man

and monkeys shown by serums and precipitates-Transmu-

tation of species-Sudden transition from monkey to man-

J. Inaudi, the calculator, as an example of the sudden appear.

ance of characters in the human species-Rudimentary organs

in man-Proportion of progressive and retrogressive organs

in the organisation of man

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CHAPTER IV

DISHARMONIES IN THE ORGANISATION OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

OF MAN

Perfection of the human form-The covering of hair-the

dentition in general, and the wisdom-teeth-The vermiform

appendage-Appendicitis and its gravity-Uselessness of the

cæcum and of the large intestine-Instance of a woman

without a large intestine-Ancestral history of this portion of

the digestive tract-Injurious effect of the microbes of the

large intestine--Frequency of cancer of the large intestine and

of the stomach-Limited usefulness of the stomach-The

instinct of choice of food-Futility of this instinct in man

CHAPTER V

DISHARMONIES IN THE ORGANISATION AND ACTIVITIES OF THE

ReproductivE APPARATUS-DISHARMONIES IN THE FAMILY

AND SOCIAL INSTINCTS

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I

Remarks on the disharmonies in the human organs of sense

and perception-Rudimentary parts of the reproductive

apparatus-Origin and function of the hymen

II

Evolution and significance of the menstrual flow in women—

Precocious marriage amongst primitive and uncivilised races

Disharmony between age of puberty and age of

nubility-Age of marriage-Examples of disharmony in the

development of the reproductive function

III

Disharmonies in the family instincts-Artificial abortion-De-

sertion and infanticide-Disharmonies in the social instincts

CHAPTER VI

DISHARMONIES IN THE INSTINCT OF SELF-PreservatiON

The instinct of self-preservation in animals-Man's instinctive

love of life-Indifference to life during childhood-Buddhist

legend on instinctive self-preservation and the fear of death

-Fear of death treated in literature-Confessions of Tolstoi

regarding the fear of death--Other opinions on the subject-

The fear of death an instinctive phenomenon-Development

in man of a love of life-Treatment of the aged-Murder of

old people-Suicide of old men-Absence of harmony between

the love of life and the conditions of human existence--The

part played by the fear of death in religions and systems of

philosophy

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PART II

ATTEMPTS TO DIMINISH THE ILLS ARISING FROM THE

DISHARMONIES OF THE HUMAN CONSTITUTION

(RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL SYSTEMS)

CHAPTER VII

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RELIGIOUS ATTEMPTS TO COMBAT THE ILLS ARISING FROM THE

DISHARMONIES OF THE HUMAN CONSTITUTION.

137

Animism as the foundation of primitive religions-The Jewish

religion in relation to the doctrine of immortality of the soul

-The religions of China-Ancestor worship in Confucianism

-The conception of immortality in Taoism-The persistence

of the soul in the Buddhist religion-The paradise of the

Chinese Buddhists-Ancestors worshipped as gods-Influence

of religious faith on the fear of death-Pessimism of the

doctrine of Buddha-The meaning of Nirvâna-Resignation

as preached by Buddha-Objections to immortality of

the soul-Irritability of the tissues and cells of the body-

Religious hygiene-Religious means of controlling the repro-

ductive functions and of preventing diseases-Failure of

religions in their attempts to combat the ills arising from the

disharmonies of the human constitution

CHAPTER VIII

ATTEMPTS IN SYSTEMS OF PHILOSOPHY TO REMEDY THE ILLS

ARISING FROM THE DISHARMONIES OF THE HUMAN CONSTITU-

TION

Some philosophical systems are in intimate union with religions

-Ideas of ancient philosophers on the immortality of the soul

-The teaching of Plato-The scepticism of Aristotle-The

Stoics-Cicero, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius--Modern philoso-

phical systems-Fessimism and its origin-Lord Byron-

Theories of Schopenhauer and Hartmann-Mailaender's

philosophy of deliverance-Criticisms of pessimism-Max

Nordau-Ideas of modern thinkers on death

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