LIFE AS MECHANISM 



maintain a shadowy image of a Deity in the back- 

 ground, we must accept Professor Ray Lankester's 

 opinion that Haeckel is "one of the most learned, 

 experienced, and honourable naturalists of modern 

 times." Now Haeckel explains the mechanistic theory 

 clearly and forcibly: "I have here spoken somewhat 

 fully of the phenomena of rudimentary organs, be- 

 cause they are of the utmost general importance, and 

 because they lead us to the great, general, and fun- 

 damental questions in philosophy and natural science, 

 for the solution of which the Theory of Descent has 

 now become the indispensable guide. As soon, in fact, 

 as, according to this theory, we acknowledge the ex- 

 clusive activity of physico-chemical causes in living 

 (organic) bodies, as well as in so-called inanimate 

 (inorganic) nature, we concede exclusive dominion to 

 that view of the universe, which we designate as the 

 mechamcal^ and which is opposed to the teleological 

 conception. If we compare all the ideas of the universe 

 prevalent among different nations at different times, 

 we can divide them all into two sharply contrasted 

 groups — a causal or mechanical^ and a teleological 

 or vi talis tic. The latter has prevailed generally in 

 Biology until now, and accordingly the animal and 

 vegetable kingdoms have been considered as the prod- 

 ucts of a creative power, acting for a definite pur- 

 pose."^ Again he says: "We must decidedly adopt 

 that view of the universe which is called the mechan- 



3 Haeckel, History of Creation, vol. I, p. 17. 



C 253 3 



