THE CONCEPTION OF LIFE 1 17 



side of the alterations in the protoplasm of the brain cells. 

 According to a second view, consciousness is a special form of 

 energy. This view, strictly taken, I believe to be purely 

 metaphysical. No observations or experiments are known to 

 me which even suggest that energy can be transformed into 

 consciousness. As you have doubtless already perceived, I am 

 not inclined to regard consciousness as a condition of the pro- 

 toplasm or as a form of energy. If we admit, as according to 

 my interpretation we must admit, that consciousness plays 

 an important role in life, then it must be able to act in some 

 way upon the body. Such an action can reveal itself only by 

 the transformation of energy somewhere in the body. Thus 

 we are led directly to the hypothesis that consciousness may 

 cause the transformation of energy, and that it is itself not 

 energy. 



I acknowledge the great significance and importance of 

 the mechanistic theory of life. A pupil of CarlLudwig may 

 not turn away from this theory, for it has proven of the 

 highest value in science, and has guided many investigations 

 to fortunate termination. But must we carry our enthusiasm 

 for this view, for which we are indebted chiefly to the great 

 Leipzig physiologist, so far that we become immediately 

 converts to the dogma that this theory suffices for all the phe- 

 nomena of life? I do not belong to those who wish to establish 

 monism as the definite and final philosophy. On the con- 

 trary the possibility still remains that we must accept a dual- 

 istic philosophy as the desired solution. According to this 

 philosophy we recognize in the universe energy and conscious- 

 ness. We biologists, however, are not philosophers. We 

 make no assumption to offer you final explanations. The 

 conception of consciousness which I have laid before you is 

 not a philosophical speculation, but a scientific hypothesis 



