COSMIC PHILOSOPHY 



which his proceedings are conformed to sur- 

 rounding circumstances." ^ 



We practically recognize the truth of this 

 definition of life when we attempt to ascertain 

 whether an animal is dead or alive by poking 

 it with a stick. If it responds by motions of its 

 own, we judge it to be alive ; if it merely moves 

 as the stick pushes it, we judge it to be dead. 

 So we decide whether a tree is alive or dead by 

 observing whether the increased supply of solar 

 radiance in spring causes those internal motions 

 which result in the putting forth of leaves. In 

 these cases we recognize the truth "that the 

 alteration wrought by some environing agency 

 on an inanimate object does not tend to in- 

 duce in it a secondary alteration, that anticipates 

 some secondary alteration in the environment. 

 But in every living body there is a tendency 

 towards secondary alterations of this nature ; 

 and it is in their production that the' correspond- 

 ence consists." 



This formula for vital phenomena is further 

 illustrated and justified by the fact that the de- 

 gree of life is low or high, according as the 

 correspondence between internal and external 

 relations is simple or complex, limited or ex- 

 tensive, partial or complete, imperfect or perfect. 

 The lowest forms of life respond only to the 



^ [Spencer, Principles of Biology, Part I. chapter v. 

 §28.] 



100 



