CHAPTER VI 



THE COGNITIC STATE OF ENERGY 



We shall now inquire as to chromatin substance, and its 

 possible relation to a cognitic energy. Thereafter cases will 

 be considered in which intimate union of protoplasmic and 

 chromatin substance gives to most plant cells and simpler 

 animal cells a combined bio-cognitic energy. 



It has already been pointed out that non-nucleate cells differ 

 from nucleate ones in the feeble and sluggish response of the 

 former to environal agents. But the more rapid response of 

 the latter means a more perfect and quickly discharged energy- 

 activity. So in the more evolved bacteria and in Blue-green 

 Algae, like Oscillator ia, Lyngbya, and Tolypothrix with their 

 chromidial granules, threads, or skeins, marked and even at 

 times rapid sensory response to environal stimuli is seen. 



But, to appreciate fully what this means, we must bear in 

 mind that nearly all simpler chromatin or nucleated organisms 

 show definite response to heat, to normal light, to intense 

 illumination, to gravity, to rotation, to chemic agents, to water, 

 to tactile stimuli, and to electricity. So, in passing from the 

 simplest nucleate organisms up to man, the writer would con- 

 sider that account has to be taken of nine senses or stimulation 

 areas for reception of environal stimuli. These are the thermo- 

 tactic or heat-perceptive, the heliotactic or light-perceptive, 

 the geotactic or gravity-perceptive, the chemotactic or sub- 

 stance-perceptive (that in higher animals becomes separated 

 into the olfactory and gustatory senses), the hydrotactic or 

 moisture-perceptive, the thigmotactic or mechano-perceptive 

 (that in higher animals becomes separated into the touch and 

 sound senses), the gyrotactic or circumnutating, the electro- 

 tactic, and the paraheliotactic or supra-light-perceptive, senses. 



The questions then arise as to how these areas or centers 

 have evolved, what is their most primitive expression, what 



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