352 pearl: biology and war 



biological fact is that, however induced, the emotion of rage 

 automatically and inevitably causes certain definite bodily 

 changes and activities, as has been demonstrated by the bril- 

 liant researches of Dr. Walter B. Cannon, described in his re- 

 markable book entitled Bodily Changes in Pain, Hunger, Fear 

 and Rage. The bodily changes induced by rage are precisely 

 those, which make the organism ready for a fight. They are the 

 visceral preparation for the translation of emotion into action. 

 The researches of Cannon have shown, as he says, "a number of 

 unsuspected ways in which muscular action is made more efficient 

 because of emotional disturbances of the viscera. Every one of 

 the visceral changes that have been noted — the cessation of proc- 

 esses in the alimentary canal (thus freeing the energy supply for 

 other parts); the shifting of blood from the abdominal organs, 

 whose activities are deferable, to the organs immediately essential 

 to muscular exertion (the lungs, the heart, the central nervous 

 system) ; the increased vigor of contraction of the heart ; the 

 quick abolition of the effects of muscular fatigue; the mobilizing 

 of energy-giving sugar in the circulation — every one of these vis- 

 ceral changes is directly serviceable in making the organism more 

 effective in the violent display of energy which fear or rage or pain 

 may involve." It is clear that we have here a first class reason 

 why men fight. It is, in short, because they get mad at each 

 other. It is fair to say that this has been suspected for some time 

 past. What the physiologist has shown us that we did not know 

 before, however, is the reason why rage is more generally followed 

 by fighting than by judicial arbitration. 



No interested person or nation was ever known publicly to 

 allege any such reasons as those just discussed for participating 

 in war. That fact, however, may with safety be taken not to 

 invalidate the point. Most men are human and a liking for the 

 outward trappings of inner grace is a highly human attribute. 

 As war begins, and while it continues, even on to the final ending 

 around the table of the peace conference, everyone involved alleges 

 a wide variety of highly moral reasons asto why he is participating. 

 As a matter of fact, he perfectly well knows, if he is at all intelli- 

 gent, and at all given to facing the actual facts as they are, that the 



