264 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



be taken too seriously. In the light of the results of modern investiga- 

 tion, however, it surely appears that this view must be given careful 

 consideration. 



One of the distinguishing characteristics of living organisms lies 

 in the fact that they are composed of a unified aggregate of elements, 

 which are so related in a system that no element can be modified 

 without the production of some modification in all the other elements, 

 and in the system as a whole ; and so related that the system as a whole 

 can only be modified through the modification of its elements. 



Now we have reason to believe that mere physical elements within 

 the universe are so related together that they form systems of various 

 degrees of complexity, and of this very same nature; that is, that 

 elements within the physical universe are bound together in systems' 

 of greater or less complexity; in which systems the elements are so 

 related that no one of them can be modified without the production of 

 some measure of modification in all other elements of the system, and 

 in the system as a whole; and so related that the system as a whole 

 can only be modified through the modification in some measure of 

 each of its component elements. It thus appears that systems which 

 by a slight stretch of language we may speak of as quasi organic may 

 exist in aggregates of physical elements winch are usually spoken of as 

 inanimate and inorganic. 



If then an organism can be said to exist in any aggregate of 

 physical elements whenever there exists a reciprocity of reaction be- 

 tween the elements of the aggregate; and if there is a thoroughgoing 

 correspondence between psychic forms and transfers of physical 

 energy, then there must be some type of consciousnesses corresponding 

 with the types of inanimate systems above depicted. These conscious- 

 nesses must indeed be of forms very different from human conscious- 

 ness as we know it; and, in most cases likely to be considered, must 

 be of forms which we would be likely to consider as of a very low 

 degree of ' integration ' in comparison with human consciousness. 



If now we consider the universe as a whole, as inclusive of all of 

 what we usually speak of as organic, and as inorganic; and if we look 

 upon it in a broad way, we perceive that it as a whole must be looked 

 upon as a vast organic system. In it are various parts which are 

 more or less complex systems within systems; and, broadly speaking, 

 all parts of this vast system are in some measure related by a direct 

 or derivative contiguity, and are subject to reciprocity of reaction, so 

 that no element can react without in some measure affecting the 

 activities of all the other parts of the vast organic system, and so that 

 the reaction of any element is affected necessarily by the reactions of 

 each and every one of the other innumerable parts of the whole vast 

 system of the whole universe. 



