IMITATION 181 
and ontogeny together, we find that if by an organism we 
mean a thing of contractility or irritability, whose round of 
movements is kept up by some kind of nutritive process sup- 
plied by the environment — absorption, chemical action of 
atmospheric oxygen, etc.—and whose existence is threatened 
by dangers of contact and what not, the first thing to do is to 
secure a regular supply to the nutritive processes, and to avoid 
these contacts. But the organism can do nothing but move, 
as a Whole or in some of its parts. So, then, if one of such 
creatures 1s to be fitter than another to survive, it must be the 
creature which, by its movements, secures more nutritive pro- 
cesses and avoids more dangerous contacts. But movements 
toward the source of stimulation keep hold on the stimulation, 
and movements away from the contacts break the contacts ; 
that is all. Nature selects these organisms; how could she do 
otherwise ?” 
“Thus a ‘circular’ activity is found in operation ; life- 
processes issuing in increased movements, by which in turn the 
stimulations to the life-processes are kept in action.” But 
when a child imitates, himself reproducing the ‘‘ copy ” set for 
imitation, the reaction at which imitative suggestion aims is 
one which will reproduce the stimulating impression, and so tend 
to perpetuate itself. The stimulus starts a motor process, 
which tends to reproduce the stimulus, and, through it, the 
motor process again. It isa “circular activity.” Thus “we 
are able to reconstruct the theory of adaptation in such a way 
as to show that this kind of organic selection by movement, 
and this kind of imitative selection by consciousness, are the 
same thing. Organic imitation and conscious imitation—each 
a circular process tending to maintain certain stimulations and 
to avoid others—here is one thing;” and to this one thing the 
common term “imitation ” is applied by Mr. Baldwin. 
This extended usage is admitted by the author to be some- 
what of an innovation. But if his hypothesis be sound this 
need be no bar to its acceptance. ‘Two salient questions must, 
however, receive satisfactory answers. First, is all organic 
adaptation in a changing environment a circular process—a 
