FATALISM OR FREEDOM 



dices, or else as an expression of a subtle 

 form of intellectual indolence which, con- 

 fronted by a complex problem, seeks to 

 simplify it by ignoring the troublesome 

 factors. These problems will never be 

 solved by confusing mind with not-mind, 

 by taking refuge in the impenetrable murk 

 of a supposed unconscious mind, or by 

 defining mind as something else (say, bio- 

 logical adjustment, nervous functions in 

 general, or "behavior") and then limiting 

 the investigation to this other something. 



This leads us back to our former ques- 

 tion, What is the place of mind in nature 

 and in human nature in particular? 



Scientific men tend to take a radically 

 mechanistic view of all natural phenomena. 

 This is as it should be, for all of these 

 phenomena seem to be interrelated as 

 parts of a single natural system permeated 

 with causal sequences. Any break in the 

 chain of lawful or causal relationships, the 

 recognition of any epiphenomena (call 

 them mind, soul, spirit, or what you like) 

 which are not integrally articulated with 

 natural things and processes as these are 

 known or knowable to science, the injec- 

 tion of any metaphysical daemons, es- 

 sences, categories, or entelechies into natu- 



[38] 



