94 Presidential Address 



brain and nerve systems connect us with 

 the rest of the physical world. Our 

 senses give us information about the 

 movements and arrangements of matter. 

 Our muscles enable us to produce changes 

 in those distributions. That is our equip- 

 ment for human life; and human history 

 is a record of what we have done with 

 these parsimonious privileges. 



Our brain, which by some means yet 

 to be discovered connects us with the 

 rest of the material world, has been 

 thought partially to disconnect us from 

 the mental and spiritual realm, to which 

 we really belong but from which for a 

 time and for practical purposes we are 

 isolated. Our common or social associ- 

 ation with matter gives us certain oppor- 

 tunities and facilities, combined with 

 obstacles and difficulties which are them- 

 selves opportunities for struggle and 

 effort. 



Through matter we become aware of 

 each other, and can communicate with 

 those of our fellows who have ideas suffi- 

 ciently like our own for them, to be stimu- 



