1 76 HEREDITY AND SOCIETY 



So, from this point of view, we have to explain 

 immediately the use of matter by life to evolve itself 

 into higher and higher forms, to make ever more 

 and more complete the incarnation of distinct person- 

 alities. Behind all this remain the deeper problems 

 of the existence of life and of matter possibly two 

 problems, possibly, as on our first line of thought, 

 in reality only one. 



But whatever be the nature of matter and of life, 

 we have to face the more immediate problem of 

 evolution. The tendency of life and mind working 

 in conjunction is to mould and develop a stream of 

 germ-plasm of constantly increasing complexity, which 

 is able to throw off at different stages of its course 

 personalities of constantly increasing definiteness, power 

 of choice and intensity of consciousness. 



The development of conscious personalities, then, 

 seems to be the tendency of all organic evolution. 

 Has this tendency any meaning ? Can we frame any 

 tentative hypothesis which is consistent with what we 

 know, and may form a basis for future investigation 

 and thought ? 



Two possibilities seem open. We may suppose 

 that a blind, inchoate stream of rudimentary conscious- 

 ness runs through the structure of the Universe, and 

 struggles to express itself, develop itself and realize 

 its higher potentialities, by association with matter. 

 It may be that only by using matter as a medium 

 can this vague consciousness use its creative power 

 and make itself into definite personalities, as a man may 

 use a machine to do work impossible to him without 

 it, or perhaps a better simile may use gymnastic 



