VII MECHANISM AND HOLISM 167 



the mass from which they have been separated or segre- 

 gated. And this higher energy potential would not be due 

 to the imparting of any additional energy from the outside. 

 Clerk-Maxwell imagined some demon manipulating an 

 aperture inside the volume of gas to effect this sorting and 

 grading, and thus producing a result in apparent conflict 

 with the principle of the second law, which affirms the 

 constant degradation of energy. His point was to make 

 clear that the second law referred merely to a statistical 

 average and was correct only in that limited sense. 



But it is obvious that his limitation of the law has a 

 far-reaching significance, and his illustration points the way 

 to the reconciliation of the systems of life and mind with 

 that of physical energy. What if life and mind were con- 

 ceived as demons of the Maxwell t)^e? We have already 

 seen that their most essential function is selection and 

 self -direction. The sifting, sorting out and grading which 

 Clerk-Maxwell ascribes to his hypothetical demon is the 

 very function of life and mind. Through this selective 

 activity all collision with the second law is avoided, which 

 is true of statistical averages only. And we may go further 

 and show that the self-direction which is inherent in life 

 and mind involves no fresh creation of force or energy in its 

 application to matter, as Leibniz held, and constitutes no 

 infringement of the first law, as is commonly assumed. 

 The same argument which holds for selection (of molecules 

 with a particular speed) in reference to the second law holds 

 also for direction of molecules in reference to the first law. 

 The supposed demon, dealing with our volume of gas would 

 select molecules, not of a certain velocity, but moving in a 

 certain direction, molecules with a certain orientation, in 

 preference to others, and could thus obtain a body moving 

 in a certain direction without the expenditure of any 

 additional energy in bringing about this change of direction. 

 Change of direction need not, therefore, involve any change 

 in the energy situation, as Leibniz held and as is commonly 

 assumed. It is only when bodies are considered as a whole 

 and as averages, and without reference to their detailed 



