APPENDIX 433 



for the most part in the direction from behind forwards over 

 the whole body. We recognise therefore the most intimate 

 relations one with another among all the single individuals. 

 Thus the preceding is always as it were the larval form of 

 the next following ; and thus of him who considers himself 

 the culmination of all things it can only be said that in 

 all probability he likewise will be nothing more than 

 the larva of a succeeding form which will be evolved 

 from him. 



When we thus place ourselves among other organic beings, 

 and disdain to arrogate to ourselves an exceptional position in 

 comparison with them, it is self-evident that we must of 

 necessity apply to ourselves the laws which here reveal 

 themselves. 



Thus for the future the idea of a whole in organic nature 

 completely disappears, whether we attempt to regard as such 

 a whole single beings or groups of beings, let the latter be 

 described as species, orders, or classes. 



Thus the single being, as the German term for individual 

 (einzelweseri) rightly implies, is but a fragment, not merely 

 of its own species, but also of the totality of the animal 

 kingdom. 



In the light of this conception, the latter in connection 

 with the rest of nature is seen as a harmonious whole con- 

 sisting of many members, in which no part has any right to 

 an absolute pre-eminence over another. 



When we consider the animal world as such a whole, we 

 reach the conception of our great philosopher Oken, who 

 regarded individuals as the organs of the whole. 



The manifold variety of individuals then appears as the 

 result of division of labour as much as the formation of organs 

 within the individual. 



This conception implies at the same time the recognition 

 of a life which is at least relatively eternal, immortal, a life 

 2 F 



