THE ABSTRACTIONS OF SCIENCE 119 



whole of the physiology of conscious organ 

 isms, since physiology cannot, as such, give 

 any account of this conscious control. If it 

 were maintained by physiologists that the 

 physiological account of a man or animal is an 

 ultimate and complete account this argument 

 would be valid. There is, however, no reason 

 why physiologists should take* up such an un 

 tenable position. Physiology deals, and ought 

 to deal, with living organisms just in so far 

 as the observations relating to them can be 

 ordered in terms of the conception of a living 

 organism. Where, and in so far as, the con 

 ception of a mere organism fails, as in the facts 

 relating to conscious activity, we must have 

 recourse to another conception, that of per 

 sonality. 



It is evident that in applying the conception 

 of personality to man or animal we leave out 

 of account the details of organic activity. But 

 the details are there, and the only account we 

 are in a position to give of them is in terms of 

 the lower or less concrete conception of mere 

 organic activity. If we go still further into 

 detail we are reduced to a still more abstract 

 account in terms of physics and chemistry. 



