24 Perfectibility
It is conceded that man is imperfect, "a pale reflection of god." He is often quite ignorant, and makes many mistakes. But the fact that we may say that someone makes a mistake is only because we have developed the intelligence to recognize the mistake he is making, and feel we can avoid it ourselves.
In that sense, imperfect mankind is perfectible. He learns from his mistakes, and progresses toward a better and better method of accomplishing his goals, improving his welfare and his productive capacities. He learns from his errors, and learns from the errors of others (if he is wise and patient enough to listen to what they have to tell him).
At the same time, there is free will. A man may choose to be ignorant, and often does as he has limited time and attention. He may choose to become very learned on one subject, but this results in the neglect of others. In other instances, a man may choose to ignore the lessons of others or of his own experience. So long as he harms no-one but himself, this should not be prevented - it is the way that he learns, though enlightenment often requires lectures to be repeated.
Freedom to make mistakes is also necessary to make progress. Man discovers a new and better way to do something only by departing from the known and reliable methods - and what he discovers benefits all of society. He must not be prevented from doing so, as to be yoked to the current way of things is to prevent adaptation and progress. Freedom to choose is requisite to man's perfection.
There are those who criticize industrialism for its flaws, but even they cannot deny the progress that has been made. They despair of the pollution caused by a textile factory, but have no wish to weave their own clothing on a hand-loom (as they are perfectly free to do so if their interest is sincere).
(EN: He departs for political matters, namely the believe that human beings are craven and immoral creatures who must be tamed by laws in order to avoid reverting to brutality. In his time, when there was a revolution about every five years, the greater part of brutality is practiced those who wish to force men to live in harmony according to their design.)