738 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
there have been no models to copy from. What we have is simply hereditary repetition, the unfolding of a race habit, an instinct. In other words, a coordination of nerve cells and muscle fibers, which has become fixed by heredity through natural selection on account of its importance to the species, simply discharges itself in the presence of the appropriate stimu- lus. This constantly happens in the development of all animals, and so, it is reasonable to suppose, in the process of human development. Thus, much which seems to us imitation in human society may be imitation in form only. The social philosopher in viewing society objectively sees that nearly all the activities of men are imitative in their outcome, and he therefore falls easily into the fallacy of believing that they are imitative in their pro- cess. That this is a fallacious method of reasoning illustrations like the above make evident. Apparently, then, Professor Bald- win and M. Tarde have been guilty of committing what Professor James calls "the psychologists' fallacy," 1 in that they seem to have judged of the nature of a process by the nature of its out- come. Our last objection to the imitation theory may well be, therefore, that it rests upon a foundation of fallacious reasoning, and will probably not be supported by a more accurate and less superficial investigation of the facts.
Before concluding, two points which have become tolerably clear in the course of our discussion may profitably be noticed. The first is in regard to the true function of imitation in individ- ual and social development. If the positions taken have been in any degree correct, it is evident, as Professor Dewey says, that " imitation comes in to mediate the natural tendency." 2 It helps forward, makes easy, development in certain directions wherein society has furnished models ; it thus secures social adjustments with greater quickness and ease, and assures greater uniformity of thought and action throughout a society. The function of the imitation instinct is, then, to mediate the development of other natural tendencies with reference to the conditions of
1 Principles of Psychology, Vol. I, p. 196.
8 See the valuable review of PROFESSOR BALDWIN'S Social and Ethical Interpre- tations by PROFESSOR DEWEY in the New World, September, 1898.
