000 Causes and Course of Organic Evolution 



Each biotic act is typical of protoplasm, and of the biotic 

 energizing currents that traverse it. It represents a simple 

 afferent stimulus or flow of energy, that temporarily alters 

 some constituent or constituents of each cell, and sets free 

 thereby a definite amount of biotic energy, which exhibits 

 itself in a definite and simple response. 



Each cognitic act is typical of protoplasm and of clu-omatin, 

 and so of the bio-cognitic energizing currents that traverse 

 both. It represents the passage into certain appropriate cells 

 of one, or it may be of two or more, afferent stimuli, each of 

 which temporarily alters some constituent or constituents of 

 each cell. If two or more stimuli act these form a resultant 

 material or energized combination which sets free a definite 

 amount of bio-cognitic energy. This exhibits itself in a def- 

 inite and complex resultant response. 



Each cogitic act is typical of protoplasm, of chromatin, and 

 of neuratin, so of the bio-cognito-cogitic energizing currents that 

 traverse these. It represents the passage into certain appropri- 

 ate cells — the nerve cells — of two or more afferent stimuli, that 

 have by the chromatin been combined into resultants, and 

 these again, fortified or altered or reduced by stored memory- 

 states of the cogitic or nerve cells, become combined into a 

 compounded or grand resultant cogitic impression in the nerve- 

 cell substance, which then exhibits itself in a definite and com- 

 pounded set of resultant responses. 



Romanes, in delimiting mental conditions, expresses the 

 following: "The distinctive element of mind is consciousness, 

 the test of consciousness is the presence of choice, and evidence 

 of choice is the antecedent uncertainty of adjustive action 

 between two or more alternatives" {185: 18). 



As in the relation of the cognitic to the biotic state, where a 

 v-ery gradual — practically imperceptible — transition seems to 

 exist, so in passage from the cognitic to the cogitic the same 

 gradual transition is observed. Overlooking this largely, men- 

 tal pliilosophers have attempted, till within recent years, to 

 assert that mentality, memory, choice, and reasoning are 

 mainly peculiar to and characteristic of man. They have 



