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114 THEORETICAL BIOLOGY 



the protoplasmic part, undertakes the function of the cell, 

 and therewith that of the organ. The protoplasmic part 

 seems to serve merely for repair of possible injuries to the 

 framework. Later on we shall have more to say about this 

 remarkable " living " substance of the protoplasm. 



If the protoplasm be left out of account, it can be said 

 of the framework of the cell that it is an absolutely perfect 

 machine (in contrast to our machines, which are always only 

 approximately perfect), for no property of matter is present 

 which does not enter completely into the framework ; more- 

 over, the rules which hold good for the construction of this 

 micro-machine are exclusively functional. This is in marked 

 contrast to the arrangement of the organs, which is determined 

 by morphological rules as well. Whether we consider muscle- 

 cells, nerve-cells, bone-cells or sensory cells — in each and every 

 instance we find the same perfection. 



In this respect, there is no such thing as evolution ; the 

 lowest, just like the highest of living creatures, are, as regards 

 their micromechanics and microchemistry, equally perfect. 

 In face of this fact, all attempt to explain living things as 

 chance agglomerations of substances collapses utterly. 



We must also ruthlessly tear away the veil at another 

 point where the evolution theory has shown itself misleading. 

 It is just as mistaken to say that whole organs are more 

 perfect or less perfect, as it is to say this of individual cells. 

 If an organ is differently constructed from another, that does 

 not imply technical defectiveness ; it then has another 

 function. 



An organ constructed for a narrowly restricted function is 

 not, on that account, more perfect or less perfect than one 

 that serves several functions. The foot of a fowl is neither 

 better nor worse than the foot of a duck, although the duck's 

 foot serves for progression in the water as weU as on the dry 

 land. 



