Sketch of an Organismal Theory of Consciousness 345 



circumstances influence qualitative as well as quantitative 

 change? Surely we are not. This of course is far from 

 contending that mass action actually does influence quali- 

 ties. My sole point is that so long as there is lack of 

 certainty that it does not or may not exert such influence 

 any assumption which implies such certainty is unwarranted 

 and unscientific. 



Putting together, then, the physically massive concep- 

 tions of inorganic chemistry and the organismal conceptions 

 of bio-chemistry w r hat seems to follow touching the chemico- 

 substantive composition of organisms is that a portion of 

 all the substances essential to life, carbon, oxygen and others, 

 have been combined from all eternity (whatever be the mean- 

 ing of the phrase) in the peculiar way called organic, while 

 other portions have remained in the state called inorganic. 

 This leads me to remark, quite incidentally so far as this 

 discussion is concerned, that according to this view the as- 

 sumption would be that organisms have always existed, or at 

 least that they have existed as long as "matter" or anything 

 else of which we have any information or clear conception, 

 has existed. The warrantableness of this assumption I am re- 

 lieved from arguing here from having treated the problem 

 at some length in another place. (Are we obliged to suppose 

 the spontaneous generation of life ever occurred?)^ All 

 that need be said now about the outcome of that discussion is 

 that the warrantableness lies in the absence of any ground 

 for assuming the contrary. I take my position squarely on 

 the direct evidence in the case. All the evidence of that sort 

 we have and in that discussion I emphasize the fact of its 

 vast quantity- -is to the effect that organisms are produced 

 by other organisms known as parents and in no other way.* 



* To the stock and rather vapid rejoinder that such a solution of the 

 problem of the origin of life is no solution at all, but only a putting off of 

 the difficulty, the obvious reply from my standpoint is that I am making 

 no pretense of "solving the problem," as "solution" would be meant in 

 the anticipated rejoinder. From my standpoint, however, the everlast- 

 ingly-from-parents hypothesis would be a solution of the problem if the 

 hypothesis were proved true. 



