288 E. G. S paid ding 



as the most general of all, there is that which may be and is some- 

 times called the Fourth Law, namely, that of invariability.^ 



The First Law expresses the quantitative identity or equality 

 of those energy quanta, the conditions for whose causal action are 

 expressed by the Second Law. According to these, in the trans- 

 fer or transformation of energy, not only does the decrease in the 

 quantity of one equal the total increase caused in one or more 

 others, but the numerically expressed intensity fall of one is, in 

 terms of a common measure, equal to the total numerically ex- 

 pressed rise in one or more others. For the figures for intensities 

 can, of course, be added although intensities cannot be. 



In general, causa cequat effectum; more cannot happen than 

 there is sufficient cause for. Given, therefore, a definite causal 

 quantum, one and only one effect, equal to that cause quantita- 

 tively, is brought about by it. In this respect, there is present, 

 then, in the cause-effect relation, a singularity, a uniqueness. 



In the Second and Third Laws there is implied a definiteness 

 of direction in events, an irreversibility. First, this is given in the 

 conditions for an energy transfer, /. e., the existence of an uncom- 

 pensated potential difference; and second, it has been found that 

 most events are exothermal; they evolve heat energy, which, as it 

 spreads out or dissipates, also comes to be more and more of a 

 uniform temperature; the entropy increases. 



That there is, then, both a singularity and a definiteness of 

 direction in all events, as the three other laws show, constitutes a 

 Fourth Law, which may be termed that of Invariability or Deter- 

 minism in every particular, both qualitative and quantitative. 



In general it is clear that the successful application of these Four 

 Laws, or, primarily, of the First and Second, since these imply 

 the Fourth, and the Third at least in part, will have a most impor- 

 tant bearing on the question as to the character of organic events, 

 etc., especially if this application be made on an experimental 

 basis. But the necessary condition both for their application 

 and for the computation of experimental results in accordance 

 with them is their formulation and the demonstration of their 

 relation to empirical laws. Accordingly, to this I now proceed. 



^Driesch in his Natur-urteile develops a view similar in many respects to the one presented here. 



