52 Spirazines 



another in a specific manner so that the relation 

 of each atom to the structure as a whole is differ- 

 ent from that of any other atom. In chemically 

 organized structures of this sort the specific 

 effect of each atom will be transmitted along the 

 spirazines of the protoplasmic fibers to other parts 

 of the cell, just like the specific effect of each 

 atom of a molecule is transmitted to other parts of 

 the latter. An individual atom may therefore ex- 

 cite a nerve or other protoplasmic fiber in such a 

 manner as to produce a response of which we may 

 become aware. Such responses may manifest 

 themselves either as thoughts, sensations, or voli- 

 tions and will not conform to any of the laws of 

 nature by which the world about us is governed 

 but will appear to us as entirely arbitrary and 

 without natural causation, although they may 

 actually have been predetermined by intra-atomic 

 conditions which are beyond the reach of physico- 

 chemical methods of exploration. Predetermina- 

 tion by natural law ends where atomic structure 

 begins, because w^e cannot extend the laws of 

 nature by analogy into realms where conditions 

 are not the same as those under which such laws 

 were derived. 



The arbitrary behavior of living matter affects 

 primarily the second law of thermodynamics be- 

 cause this law applies only to systems in which 

 the variable components are capable of approach- 



