K. E. VON BAER. PHILOSOPHICAL FRAGMENTS. 



common, or but slightly isolated, just as the whole mass of the 

 body is a homogeneous mass. With a greater separation and more 

 complete independence of these functions is combined a greater 

 differentiation of the body into organic systems, and of these 

 systems again into separate more individualized sections. In 

 this consists the higher development of the animal body. 



But the mode in which these organs of the animal body are 

 united together, is a wholly distinct matter. And it is to this 

 manner in which the organic elements are combined that we 

 give the name of Type. Every type may be. manifested in 

 higher and lower degrees of organization; the type and the 

 grade of development together determine the special forms. 

 Therefore for every type there exist grades of development which 

 here and there form considerable series indeed, yet which are in 

 no uninterrupted succession of development, and are never equal 

 through all grades. 



Although then, in the following pages we speak of certain 

 series of grades of development, we are far from wishing to 

 assert any equal distribution of forms through these. On the 

 other hand, we think it obvious that the assumption of any such 

 corresponding affinities among organic forms does violence to 

 nature. Whatever such scheme may have been devised, it 

 cannot be discovered by the unprejudiced observer. If such a 

 correspondence be deduced a priori from the harmonious ope- 

 ration of nature, we may demonstrate with equal justice and 

 force that among men A must have as many relations as B, be- 

 cause such equivalency of relationship is contained in the idea 

 (denkbar], and therefore must be ; and that if B even gave out he 

 had fewer brothers, they would nevertheless be discovered some 

 day or other. It appears to us that here the necessarily regular 

 occurrence of the phaenomena has been confounded with their mu- 

 tual equivalency. For instance, to resume the comparison which 

 the word affinity has suggested : as the small number of children 

 in a family is not a matter of chance, but depends upon the 

 slight fecundity of the parents ; so it is no chance or whim of na- 

 ture that certain animal forms are realized in fewer variations, 

 and exhibit fewer deviations than others. The reason must lie 

 in the nature of these forms. Certain combinations of organic 

 parts are, to speak metaphorically, more natural than others. A 



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