4 THE AIM AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD. 



primary facts. This condition limits the usefulness of such a 

 conception as the anima mundi or the " end " to a phase in the 

 development of knowledge of the facts when the particulars are 

 not capable of full determination.* At such a time such a concept 

 ;as vitalism may legitimately be used "as a comfortable halting- 

 place where the reason may be laid to rest on a pillow of obscure 

 ideas " when there is " danger of premature and, therefore, 

 inadequate physico-chemical explanations of the phenomena of 



life."t 



21. 



It is in almost identical words that Bunge opens the 

 important work in which he treats of physiological chemistry 

 from a vitalistic as opposed to a " mechanistic " point of view.J 

 At the same time he avows that his adoption of this position 

 is due to his definite dissent from " the doctrine which 

 :some opponents of vitalism maintain, and which would have 

 us believe that in living beings there are no other factors 

 at work than simply the forces and matter of inorganic 

 nature." In opposition to this doctrine, Bunge denies that 

 physico-chemical explanations have been given of any really 

 vital phenomena i.e., of any phenomena in which what we call 

 " activity " is displayed. Thus even in so simple a case as the 

 absorption of food from the alimentary canal, the physical 

 processes of diffusion and osmosis do not account for the 

 established facts. The epithelial cells exercise a selective 

 function, accepting globules of fat, but declining (for instance) 



* Thus Bunge (Text Book of Physiological and Pathological Chemistry, 

 p. 420) explains the high temperature in fever " teleologically " as an 

 attempt of the organism to destroy the bacteria. But this explanation 

 fails to yield the precise temperature reached. 



t Prof. Hering, quoted by McDougall, loc. cit. 



I Bunge, Text Book of Physiological and Pathological Chemistry ; 

 translated from the 4th ed. by Starling, 1902, p. 1 : " No explanation is 

 offered by a mere term. I regard ' vital force ' as a convenient resting- 

 place where, to quote Kant, * reason can repose on a pillow of obscure 

 qualities.' " 



Loc. cit. 



