VOLITION AND FEEE-WILL 223 



of dead matter. A constant war has been waged 

 between dead and living matter, and mind has over- 

 come the physico-chemical laws. Chemical affinity 

 has been taken advantage of by the protoplasm to 

 protect itself from external enemies. It defends 

 itself against internal enemies by dividing into small 

 portions. Physical energy has been used to break 

 down chemical affinity, and then protoplasm has 

 been able to lay up a store of potential energy. This 

 necessarily implies that mind is intelligent, and has 

 been free to act from the first. But it has overcome 

 the physico-chemical laws only by obeying them ; 

 and this has given rise to the illusion that it is not 

 free, but subject to fixed law like dead matter. We 

 cannot suppose that the physical energies, when they 

 fall upon protoplasm, antagonise themselves by 

 forming chemical combinations which prevent their 

 further assault, because this is so different from what 

 happens with inorganic materials. Compare, for 

 example, the formation of a cell-wall with the 

 weathering of a rock. There is no similarity. The 

 formation of the protective covering must be due to 

 the action of living protoplasm, for it occurs only 

 with living protoplasm. And when we see that 

 this defensive action is different with different 

 animals sometimes silica being employed, some- 

 times carbonate of lime, sometimes cellulose, some- 

 times horn : when we see these things we cannot 

 doubt but that intelligence has been used in the selec- 

 tion of the material and in the formation of a 

 defence. And this intelligence implies volition, 

 judgment, and the power to carry the judgment into 



