THE "SOMETHING OVER" 247 



quelque chose de tout a fait identique a eux, 

 il y a place pour une troisieme doctrine, celle 

 du vitalisme physique, qui tient compte de ce 

 qu'il y a de special dans les manifestations de 

 la vie et de ce qu'il y a de conforme a 1'action des 

 forces generates : 1 'element ultime du pheno- 

 mene est physique; 1'arrangement est vital." 

 This view which distinguishes itself from the 

 physico-chemical theories and, whilst allotting 

 only those processes which are the outcome of 

 general physical forces to the material element, 

 assigns to " 1'arrangement " or organising pro- 

 perty (or " energy " or " force ") the special 

 vital phenomena, seems to approximate very 

 closely to the old scholastic conception of the 

 " forma substantialis " or the vital energy of 

 the living body. 



But enough of definitions. If we clear our 

 minds of such things and contemplate ourselves, Let us con- 

 is it really possible to conceive that what we template 

 know best amongst the activities of life, our own 

 conscious states, our thoughts, our feelings and 

 our volitions are nothing but physical " ener- 

 gies " or " forces " and are explicable in the 

 same terms as the making of soda water is ex- 

 plicable ? Is it not clear that the two classes 

 of phenomena are wholly different from one 

 another and that the activities of life are agen- 

 cies of quite a different character? As Father 



