44 WHAT IS LIFE ? 



represent, it always implies that it is x multiplied by x 

 always the same multiplied by the same, and if the 

 symbol has a value in Nature it must mean multiply- 

 ing objects by objects, time by time, distance by 

 distance, and so on. Not one of which operations is 

 performed in Nature, nor can be done by man. True, 

 by artificial data we get " numerical values," and 

 the results of multiplying and dividing these values or 

 their ratios are called by the physicist a Dimensions/' 1 

 These are good working formulae up to a certain point. 

 The equations are always only approximate, but in 

 studying the problems we are dealing with we almost 



1 "Dimensions" in physical science are expressed in terms of 

 operations by means of the following arbitrary values : 



1 2 



A definite length = a centimetre or an inch. 

 A definite mass = a gramme or a grain. 

 A definite time a second or a minute. 



If we choose the first, that is the centimetre, gramme, second, we 

 obtain one series of numerical values dimensions ; if we choose the 

 second we obtain altogether a different series of numerical values 

 dimensions. The fact is, Nature does not recognize any 

 of these artificial (and to man very useful) distinctions. 

 See Professor Everett's "Illustrations of the C.G.S. System of 

 Units." It is curious to observe, in this important work, after using 

 these three factors the centimetre, gramme, second in all formulae, 

 in the end (p. 208) the author draws attention to " Modern Views on 

 Electrical and Magnetic Dimensions" A new factor is found to be 

 wanted which the author calls " quantity of electricity " or " specific 

 inductive capacity," and " quantity of magnetism " or " magnetic 

 permeability," which are " quantities of unknown dimensions." l So 

 here the whole formulae fail ! It is this new factor, which we are con- 

 tending, as will presently be seen, always exists, and we call it Ether. 



1 The italics are ours. 



