SUMMARY 137 



theory. I endeavoured to show that the 

 experimental evidence which has been brought 

 forward in support of this theory will not bear 

 critical examination, and that the popular idea 

 that the progress of physiology is in the 

 direction of confirming or supporting the 

 mechanical conception of life is a complete 

 illusion. I then proceeded to discuss, in the 

 light of biological facts, whether by any 

 possibility the mechanistic theory may not 

 still be correct. The result of this discussion 

 was that there is no such possibility. The 

 physical and chemical conception of the 

 world breaks down absolutely and hopelessly 

 in connection with the phenomena of life, 

 however useful it actually is in connection 

 with inorganic phenomena. It is, therefore, 

 nothing but a working hypothesis of limited 

 useful application. 



The third lecture began with a brief dis 

 cussion of the progress made by philosophy 

 in discussing the ultimate validity of the 

 physical and chemical conception of the 

 universe ; and it was shown that there is no 

 ultimate validity in this account, so that we 

 are quite free to employ another conception 



