292 THE FITNESS OF THE ENVIRONMENT 



tion of formative laws acting for a purpose. 

 They do not become more intelligible by the 

 fact that the regeneration of mutilated crys- 

 tals, observed by Pasteur and others, points 

 to similar processes in inanimate nature. 

 Also the ability of organisms to perfect them- 

 selves by exercise has not found sufficient 

 appreciation with regard to natural selec- 

 tion." 1 



To sum up, it appears certain that at least 

 in a few instances, and possibly quite generally, 

 purposeful tendencies exist in the organism 

 which seem to be inexplicable by natural selec- 

 tion or any other existing mechanistic hypoth- 

 esis. It is not too much to hope that a scien- 

 tific explanation of these phenomena in whole 

 or in part may some day be found ; but mean- 

 time they constitute the natural subject 

 of vitalistic speculation. A field remains, 

 though limited, where the physical scientist 

 cannot yet successfully subdue the vitalist, 

 however strong his conviction of the errors of 

 vitalism. 2 



1 Du Bois-Reymond, "Reden," Vol. I, p. 226. 



2 The indeterminism which is based uniquely upon belief 

 in freedom of the will appears to be foreign to the present dis- 

 cussion. It is, accordingly, entirely disregarded in the follow- 

 ing considerations. Hence the conclusions of the present in- 

 quiry are not to be taken as cognate with such metaphysical 

 hypotheses as the indeterminism of Kant and Lotze. 



