THE GENESIS OF LIVING ORGANISMS 197 



out of the framework, making of it the framework-forming 

 agent, and tries to show how, by consistent invasion of the 

 material by the impulses, it imprints itself thereon. 



The material to be thus seized on by the impulses in the 

 given sequence, must, of course, be formative. As this material 

 basis we may suggest the ferments, which initiate the chemical 

 processes. But it is only when the impulses enter into the 

 ferments that these become factors and the chemical process a 

 living action. 



In our attempt to picture the genesis of an implement in 

 a mam ^r analogous to that of an organism, we shall transfer 

 into the germ-brick of our brick staircase not merely the 

 factors for the absolute properties of the individual bricks 

 (properties such as form, colour and hardness), but also those 

 for the relative properties, so as to get correctly the relations 

 of the bricks to one another in the steps. To make possible 

 the developme it of the properties from their factors, we shall 

 introduce a defmite number of impulses in a definite sequence, 

 and these will enable the ferment-material to release the 

 part-actions in accordance with plan. 



Before the action begins, the separate factors for these 

 part-actions lie unconnected side by side, and this makes it 

 possible to interchange them with other suitable factors. If 

 we wish to change the red colour of the bricks to blue, all we 

 have to do is to exchange the factor producing the part-action 

 for red coloration with a factor for blue coloration. In the 

 same \.ay, if we wish to construct an easier staircase, we can 

 replace the factor producing high steps for one producing 

 shallow steps. 



The comparison between the mode of genesis of living 

 organisms and of implements can be carried right through only 

 when we have recognised that both are referable to a final 

 common factor. Even though it be true that the genesis of 

 implements has a centripetal direction, and that of organisms 



