312 The Theory of Genetic Modes 



genesis ; here instead is a static cycle, with a formula for 

 recurrence or repetition, not for growth. 



Again, we may find such a recurrent cycle of terms, 

 but, besides, a something over which we clandestinely or 

 overtly neglect. This neglecting is often explicitly done, 

 notably in biology. 



And yet again, we may come upon a condition of such 

 complexity that the forces at play cannot be separated out 

 one from another. I wish to make special mention 

 of certain instances, especially of the sort mentioned 

 second just above, which bring out the point of view of 

 the theory of genetic modes. 



The case of the recurring series is, in so far as it is a 

 series, and not a mere term that recurs, a case in which 

 the genetic may enter ; for the question of growth may 

 be asked of changes inside the series itself, and we may 

 find that the terms as such are not recurrent, but represent 

 an irreversible order ; for example, certain series of changes 

 of a chemical nature seem to be such. Of course it is the 

 aim of exact science to reduce these series to those of the 

 strictly repetitive type. A great instance of such reduc- 

 tion was the discovery of the law of gravitation, by which 

 whole sets of unexplained serial phenomena were found to 

 illustrate the repeated operation of attraction by the law of 

 inverse squares. So, too, the reduction of the physical 

 forces to terms of common work measured in energy, of 

 which the quantity remains unimpaired. The reduction 

 of all physical phenomena to such quantitative statements 

 must remain the legitimate ideal of exact science. Yet 

 while recognizing this, and recognizing the universal 

 character of the category so exploited, we must at the 

 same time make the reservation that even the thus-for- 



