LIFE IN THE SUPRA- WORLD 139 



order to deny consciousness where we have no real 

 evidence against it. 



If our galaxy is not conscious yet, it may 

 be in the process of acquiring consciousness. The 

 curious evolution discovered by Kapteyn and 

 Eddington is very suggestive of some crisis. The 

 mingling of two galactic systems may be the equiva- 

 lent of the process by 'which the amoeba acquires 

 star-clusters of superior vital value. Or it may be 

 an act of a great Birth a mingling of two germ- 

 cells to form a more self-determining being. The 

 interpenetration may be estimated to occupy a 

 thousand million years a very small fraction of a 

 supra-second. In that time the two galaxies will 

 have brought their accumulated individual experi- 

 ence to bear upon each other, and will be prepared 

 to face life with a superior endowment and a better 

 prospect of self-determination. Such a prospect 

 is surely quite as conceivable as the simplest process 

 of generation such as we can see accomplish itself 

 under the microscope in a few minutes. 



But what about ourselves in this gigantic birth ? 

 What part have we to play in the next thousand 

 million years? Will our accumulated experience 

 be a part of the dowry of that great being which 

 is now being born in the heavens? 



This brings mo to what will most likely be con- 

 sidered the wildest and most fanciful part of the 

 suggested by the present lino of reason- 



