Nature of the Universe 23 



only by being an organism — and the processes in the 

 outer physical world. A sort of reflection of the outer 

 world is generated in what we call knowledge. In con- 

 nection particularly with long-range regulatory ac- 

 tion — that is, in preparing for events that have not 

 yet arrived — the process we call thinking occurs. The 

 correspondence between the direct inner experiences 

 of the organism in thought and the changes occur- 

 ring in the outer physical material may become so 

 adequate that thinking may yield truth about the 

 outer world. That is, the biological specimen asks 

 questions about the outer world and sometimes may 

 answer them correctly, through taking thought, 

 without subjecting itself to the conditions to which 

 the questions refer. At this stage in development, the 

 biological specimen has purposes, plans their ac- 

 comphshment, meditates on the world ; discusses such 

 questions as religion from the point of view of science. 

 This process of development, double in aspect, 

 must stir interest and astonishment. It seems to pro- 

 duce the living from the lifeless; the feeling and 

 knowing from the unconscious and inert. It seems to 

 bring forth totally new things, not foreshadowed in 

 what went before. Does it actually do these things.'^ 

 And in particular, what is the role of the inner 

 things; sensations, feelings, ideas? Do these affect or 

 change the outer things, the movements that occur, 

 the behavior of things ? Are these inner things active 

 agents in the developmental process.^ To these ques- 

 tions as to the essential nature of development, we 

 now turn. 



