From the Unconscious to the Conscious 



Acquired purpose this is the key to the enigma 

 of transformism. 



The totality of evolution, like its details, reveals 

 an obvious purpose which neither selection nor adapta- 

 tion nor any of the classical factors can sufficiently 

 explain. But this evident purpose is certainly not a 

 pre-established purpose, for if it were, the plan on which 

 it proceeds would not allow of gropings or errors. 



It is an acquired finality, relative, and explicable 

 by the reversions from the conscious to the unconscious, 

 and is simply proportional to the level of consciousness 

 collectively attained. 



By reason of the ideal adaptation which it implies, 

 this acquired purpose alone allows of the complete 

 operation of the classical factors natural selection, 

 influence of the environment, sexual selection, segrega- 

 tion, migrations, etc. Only this can explain how, 

 wherever life is possible in water, earth, and air, the 

 most diverse forms of life appear; only this can explain 

 the infinite variety in the forms of life and their narrow 

 specialisation. Only this allows of comprehension how 

 the appearance and the development of new organs 

 corresponds exactly with precise needs. 



Only this also can explain how the development 

 of these organs sometimes goes beyond the need and 

 is effected outside of adaptation, as we see in ornamental 

 characteristics. 



The tendency towards consciousness is not only a 

 tendency towards intelligence, but a tendency towards 

 all that constitutes a conscious psychism, including the 

 affectional and the aesthetic senses. Affectional and 

 aesthetic instincts which are realised in the more highly 

 evolved individuals, revert into the collective uncon- 

 sciousness, and reappear as an instinct towards organic 

 perfection in the acquired finality and thus have important 

 functions. 



Finally, it is only the purely relative power of acquired 



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