246 THE PROBLEM OF BODY AND MIND 



the wrong line, for it pictures the mind acting mechanically 

 on matter in motion. But if the mind can thus determine 

 the direction of physical processes, say in the brain, the 

 disparateness of mind and body is surely given up. Even 

 Lotze spoke of ^^ elements of mental life, intervening between 

 the operation of the corporeal organs, and filling gaps be- 

 tween the single links of the chain of vital processes ", but 

 can we think of mind producing an impact or causing mo- 

 tion ? What we call mind bulks largely in Animate Nature, 

 but surely whatever be its mode of operation it is not that 

 of a shunter. W. K. Clifford compared the belief in this 

 kind of psychical influence upon material things to the 

 belief that the wagons of a railway train are held together 

 by the friendly feeling of the engine-driver for the guard. 



(3) The animist is probably on firmer ground when he 

 simply refuses to be tyrannised over by the principle of the 

 conservation of energy. That principle was established in 

 reference to inorganic systems which can be adequately 

 summed up in dynamical terms, belonging to a domain with- 

 out spontaneity or alternatives or endeavour. We need not 

 allow a law of our own making to dogmatise as to what is 

 possible or impossible in systems run on different lines. 

 No doubt the life of the organism conforms on the whole 

 to the principle of the conserv^ation of energy, as calorimeter 

 experiments prove; perhaps it corresponds absolutely; but 

 what we are concerned to maintain is, that there is no reason 

 grounded in the constitution of nature why a living material 

 system should entirely correspond as regards energetics to a 

 non-living material system. 



• In this connection it should also be noticed that just as 

 a spark may cause an explosion, and cutting a tape may 

 launch a liner, an emotion may intervene to considerable 



