Implications of the Theories of \erve Action 'U)] 



with the greatest ])ossi})le claiit v is the error, the fallacy, not 

 of objective fact hut of reasoninij. Stated in general ttruis, 

 the fallacy consists in the tacit assuni])ti()n tliat the indis- 

 j^ensahility and ade({iiacy of physico-chiiuical elements to 

 exj)lain organic heliavior are of a sort that exclude tin- in 

 dispensability and adequacy of "structures," as sense or- 

 gans and muscles, from the explanation of the same ])he- 

 n omen a. 



To go into the cpistcmological and logical necessities 

 involved in the situation with whicli we are liere confronted 

 is entirely beyond the scope of this volume. Ilowevtr, in 

 the interest not so much of Truth in the abstract as of 

 healthy, wholesome, useful science, biologists will have to 

 cease employing such deprecatory epithets as "anthropo- 

 morphism," "metaphysics," "rhetoric" and the liki- to gain 

 for themselves a sense of security in the use of language and 

 reasoning which can not endure for an lioui* the s( ai-fhliirht 

 of really careful thinking and expression. 



To focus the general statement of the fallacv on the par- 

 ticular matter in hand, one must see that both factually 

 and epistemologically the organs and other morphological 

 and general functional elements, or factors found by the 

 analysis of the organism, are "fundamental" or "ultimate" 

 for the phenomena to be explained by exactly the same cri- 

 teria that the physico-chemical elements are fundamental 

 or ultimate. 



A reflex act or a tr()])hisin can no more be intelligibly 

 expressed or understood or conceived as an ol)')ectivi' fact 

 without sense organs, muscles, etc., than without physico- 

 chemical substances. If one (piestions the truth of this af- 

 firmation let him test the matter by trying to express a re- 

 flex act in the terms of the physico-chemical elements known 

 from analysis to be "behind" such an act. To In^gin with, he 

 finds it necessary to fix u])on some juirticnldv reflex act, 

 scratch-reflex, perhaps. Such })articular act nnist be taken 



