CHAPTER VII 



ADAPTATIONS PURPOSIVE ACTIONS IN LIVING THINGS 



IN a previous chapter some mention has been 

 made of that useful word adaptations, so fre-"Adapta- 

 quently employed with the idea that it affords a tions " 

 complete explanation, in itself, of the phenomena 

 with which it is connected. 



It is astonishing how many persons can be 

 satisfied by a mere phrase and hundreds go happy 

 away when told that Nature does so and so or 

 provides for such and such a condition of affairs 

 without appearing to be in any way concerned as 

 to who or what Nature is or how it performs the 

 wondrous works with which it is credited. 



It is the same with that blessed word "in- 

 herent " which is also constantly used as if it were " inherence 

 an explanation instead of a mere naming of a fact. 

 That certain characteristics are inherent, say in a 

 bull, is no doubt perfectly true, but to tell us. that 

 a bull is quarrelsome at times because that quality 

 is inherent in bulls is certainly no explanation of 

 how bulls came to have the quality in question. 



If it be retorted that the upholders of a vital 



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