366 W. von BUDDENBROCK 



disregarded for the future. The trend of his investigations is 

 not only unfruitful in itself, but it leads to a shallow rather 

 than to a deeper conception of the whole of biology, since it 

 inclines to regard the whole problem as solved just as soon as 

 the chemo-physical side of it is explained. 



The statement, for example, that the spermatozoa of the fern 

 are attracted by malic acid seems to those of this temper as a 

 most satisfactory view. The "mechanism" of the occurrence 

 is explained and one turns contentedly to other things. But 

 what is actually gained? The problem really consists in the 

 fact that the archegonium secretes just that substance to which 

 the spermatozoon reacts. It is a most delicate adaptation, such 

 as we find everywhere with closer observation, but whoever 

 limits his view to chemo-physical processes will pass by this 

 main problem without even seeing it. Biology is above all a 

 historical science, it deals with things which have taken place, 

 the investigation of which must be carried on necessarily from 

 other points of view than the investigation of inorganic mate- 

 rial. Physics and chemistry teach us chiefly to recognize the 

 means which nature uses to attain any purpose in the realm 

 of living matter, they cannot reach the deeper problems. Only 

 when the physico-chemist is convinced of this can he work 

 successfully within the field of biology. 



