Philosophic Evolution. 199 



The mingling of the hyperphysical world of rationality 

 with the irrational creation is paralleled by the existence 

 of crystals in plants, and by the action of the vegetable 

 kingdom in modifying the results of merely physical 

 and chemical laws. 



Such mingling is again paralleled by the action of 

 plants on animals and of animals on plants (as, e.g., the 

 necessity of insect-life for the fertilisation of many, and 

 even for the nutrition of some plants), such fertilising 

 action, perhaps, even occasioning important variations. 



Modern science convincingly shows us that truth which 

 St. Thomas taught centuries ago that a successively in- 

 creasing purpose runs through the irrational creation up 

 to man. Cosmical entities and their laws do serve organic 

 being more than inorganic, sentient being more than 

 insentient, rational being more than sentient. Therefore, 

 if the First Cause wills at all, He must have willed most 

 service to man of all known creatures. 



This increase of service (and consequent dependence) 

 becomes manifest when we consider the following truths : 



" The inorganic world ^can do without the organic, but 

 not vice versa. The vegetable world can exist without 

 the animal, but not vice versa. The animal world can 

 do without the rational world as experienced by us, but 

 not vice versa. Therefore, if there is intention at all, all 

 things are for man in the chief degree. 



The same law of progress extends through the evolu- 



