SECTION v.: THE ANIMAL AS A WHOLE 



CHAPTER XXXI 

 THE PRESERVATION OF NEUTRALITY 



" To test a principle by its ronsequences is allowed by good logic and enjoined by 

 sound reason." Joi bkut. 



From a physico-chemical standpoint, the animal body may be 

 considered as a polyphase liquid, the various phases being separated 

 from one another by a series of membranes of varying and variable 

 permeability. From the moment of origin of the organism as an 

 entity, that is, from the time when the conjugation of spermato- 

 zoon and ovum produced a mass of protoplasm which was not 

 in equilibrium with its environment, the various external forces 

 brought to bear on the organism still further accentuate this 

 disturbance. The sum of the changes termed life may be looked 

 on as the response of this polyphase-multimembrane-enclosed 

 liquid to these impacts. Briefly, all changes tend to restore 

 balance — which, when attained, is death. It is difficult to make 

 statements on this subject without using terms implying purpose, 

 for example, we speak of water reaching its own level — cell adjust- 

 ing itself to its environment, etc. To use other terminology 

 would be cumbrous if correct. So, in discussing the relationship 

 existing between cell and environment, individual and world, etc., 

 we find it convenient to consider how the organism so adjusts itself 

 to meet changes in its environment that it remains apparently an 

 independent entity. There is, of course, no such somatic inde- 

 pendence. Body and environment together are in indissoluble 

 partnership. In fact, they are a unity. The organism no more 

 adjusts itself to suit its environment than the enviroimient alters 

 itself to suit the organism. Both are subject to change, but the 

 change is equally impressed on both. 



Further, a change in the nature or incidence of any force on 

 organism or environment produces far-reaching results. Every 

 imit of the entire system (organism + environment) is affected 

 more or less by quite a small change in the energy content applied 

 apparently locally. For example, we dealt (Chap. XVII.) with the 



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