526 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



distinction between what are ordinarily called dead and living objects. In the 

 dead or physical object there is a permanently rhythmic repetition of events only 

 in their microscopic or molecular aspect ; in the living object the rhythm is 

 .manifested also in the macroscopic aggregate. 



It is possible that Prof. Whitehead's reply to his query will not meet with imme- 

 diate acceptance, and that contemporary progressive thought will give an answer 

 deviating somewhat from his presentation. There can be no doubt, however, 

 that the main lines of the enquiry as conducted in the present volume offer a 

 basis for profitable discussion, and that the author takes us one " step further into 

 the unfathomable mystery." 



S. Brodetsky. 



The Philosophy of Conflict, and Other Essays in War-time. Second Series. 

 By Havelock Ellis. (London : Constable & Co., Ltd., 1919.) 



A EOOK by Mr. Havelock Ellis is certain to be interesting, and the present volume 

 fully comes up to expectations. It consists of essays on a great variety of subjects, 

 many connected with the war, and most of them concerned directly or indirectly 

 with the changes of social outlook which have been necessitated by the war. 

 Problems of sex, and the social status of women, receive much attention ; and 

 there are some purely literary essays, including one on Justina de Wynne 

 Rosenberg, whose chief title to fame at the present day is the very ambiguous one 

 of having been a friend of Casanova. 



Mr. Havelock Ellis is a psychologist, whose forte lies in a remarkable penetra- 

 tion and knowledge of human character. In consequence, his essays convey 

 an impression of depth and exhibit a philosophic spirit, which render the book 

 both pleasant and informing to read, quite apart from questions of agreement or 

 disagreement. Mr. Ellis advocates the principle of Eugenics, but does not 

 meet the main argument of its opponents. If we were certain that the data of 

 the Eugenists were complete, we should assuredly support the policy which they 

 advocate. But are we satisfied that their data are complete ? Any action which 

 really did affect the germ-plasm of the human race would be fraught with vast 

 consequences for the future of humanity ; and such action can only be justified 

 if based upon a knowledge that is absolute and unquestionable ; a false step would 

 be irretrievable and utterly calamitous. Now, when we observe the numerous 

 errors committed by statesmen in more ephemeral matters of smaller importance > 

 we shall surely be well advised to hesitate before entrusting the hereditary con- 

 stitution of humanity to the control of persons who have neither knowledge of nor 

 regard for scientific principles. A matter of such deep importance is safer left in 

 the hands of Nature than thrown into the cauldron of party-politics, to be deter, 

 mined by the ignorant prejudices of popular opinion. Nor do we think that Mr. 

 Ellis himself has sufficiently considered all aspects of the matter. He adopts with- 

 out apparent question the popular opinion that war destroys those most fit to carry 

 on the race. But is it really so ? We believe that a very large percentage of those 

 who on medical grounds were prevented from taking an active part in the war 

 owed their disability to physical causes of a non-hereditary type — as, for instance) 

 heart disease, rupture, and so on, due rather to the accidents of individual life than 

 to any hereditary weakness. On the other hand, large numbers of constitutionally 

 inferior persons were swept into the Army, where their weakness too often became 

 manifest. Persons medically disabled from the front line, in short, were those 

 whose disabilities were obvious, and to a very large extent did not diminish their 



