Terminology 151 



son, has employed the term * tradition ' for the handing on 

 of that which has been acquired by preceding generations ; 

 and I have used the phrase ' social heredity ' for the accom- 

 modation of the individuals of each generation to the social 

 environment, whereby the continuity of tradition is secured. 

 It appears desirable that some definite scheme of 

 terminology should be suggested to facilitate the discus- 

 sion of these problems of organic and mental evolution ; 

 and I therefore venture to submit the following : 



1. Variation: to be restricted to 'blastogenic ' or con- 

 genital variation. 



2. Accommodation : functional adjustment of the indi- 

 vidual organism to its environment. This term is widely 

 used in this sense by psychologists, and in an analogous 

 sense by physiologists. 1 



3. Modification (Lloyd Morgan) : change of structure or 

 function due to accommodation. To embrace 'ontogenic 

 variations ' (Osborn), i.e., changes arising from all causes 

 during ontogeny. 



4. Coincident Variations (Lloyd Morgan) : variations 

 which coincide with or are similar in direction to modi- 

 fications. 



5. Organic Selection : 2 the perpetuation and develop- 

 ment of congenital variations in consequence of individual 

 accommodation. 



1 Professor Osborn suggests that ' individual adaptation ' suffices for this ; 

 but that phrase does not mark well the distinction between ' accommodation ' 

 and ' modification ' [which often takes place, as in mutilation, without accom- 

 modation]. Adaptation is used currently in a loose general sense. [It is 

 now suggested (1892) see the writer's Diet, of Philos. and Psycho!., sub 

 verb. that adaptation be limited to racial adjustments, such as reflexes, in- 

 stincts, etc., in contrast with accommodation. 'Adjustment' is a convenient 

 general term.] 



- Used in the papers reprinted above. 



