42 The Emergence of Life 



and mammals. We use the contrasted terms "Ani- 

 mate" and "Inorganic" simply because we cannot find 

 any better. 



§1. The Emergence of Life. 



At some time or other, in the history of the earth, 

 when the conditions had become more hospitable than 

 at first, living creatures emerged. How are we to think 

 of this? How did living creatures begin to be upon 

 the Earth ? ( 1 ) The first answer seizes on the marvel 

 and mystery of life, and says, "Protoplasm is a hand- 

 ful of dust that God enchants." But perhaps this 

 might also be said of the dewdrop and the diamond ; 

 and, however true it is, it is not a scientific answer. It 

 implies a premature abandonment of the scientific 

 quest, though it will not be affected by any scientific 

 answer that may be found. 



(£) The second position is an agnostic one, that of 

 the scientific inquirer who refuses to commit himself. 

 "Ignoramus." This answer emphasizes the difficulty 

 of the problem, the uniqueness of life and the fact of 

 experience to-day — omne vivum e vivo. It suggests 

 a doubt whether we are putting the question in the 

 right way; are we even sure that life ever began? 

 Perhaps the particular secret of life is as old as elec- 

 trons and protons, and no one worries much over their 

 origin. The long and the short of it is : "We do not 

 know." Perhaps this is too superior, for while it ex- 

 presses the truth that it may be too soon to answer a 

 question, it is a little apt to suggest that it may be 

 too soon to ask it. 



