7/3 THE ULTRASTABLE SYSTEM 



Thus we get Figure 7/2/2. By S. 6/3, Eny t 



the number of distinct values possible to 

 S must be at least as great as the num- 

 ber of distinct ways of behaving (both 

 adapted and non-adapted) possible to R. 





Figure 7/2/2. 



7/3. The essential variables must now be 

 introduced; what affects them ? Clearly 

 they must be affected by something, for 

 we are not interested in the case of the 

 organism that is immortal because nothing 

 threatens it. Possibilities are that they 

 are affected by the environment, by R, or by both. 



The case of most interest is that in which they are immediately 

 affected by the environment only. This case makes the problem 

 for the kitten as harsh, as realistic as possible. This is the case 

 when a hot coal falls from the fire and rolls towards the kitten: 

 the environment threatens to have a direct effect on the essential 

 variables, for if the kitten's brain does nothing the kitten will 

 get burnt. This is the case when the animal in the desert is being 

 dried by the heat, so that if the animal does nothing it will die of 

 thirst. 



Immediate effects from R to the essential variables would be 

 appropriate if the kitten's brain could act so as to change it from 

 an organism that must not get burnt to one that benefited by 

 being burnt ! (Such a change of goal may be of importance in 

 the higher functionings of the nervous system, when a sub-goal 

 may be established or changed provisionally; but the situation 

 does not occur at the fundamental level 

 that we are considering here, and we 

 shall not consider such possibilities 

 further.) 



The diagram of immediate effects now 

 has the form of Figure 7/3/1. The 

 essential variables have been represented 

 collectively by a dial with a pointer, and 

 with two limit-marks, to emphasise that 

 what matters about the essential variables 

 is whether or not the value is within 

 Figure 7/3/1. physiological limits. 



81 



