An Introduction to a Biology 



become active at the bidding of the organism to 

 which they are in the one case temporarily, and in 

 the other permanently attached. The crab makes 

 his claws of lime which he elaborates inside him- 

 self, whilst man makes a pair of forceps of iron 

 which he elaborates outside himself. But there is 

 no difference in the matter of aliveness between 

 the lime and the iron ; both are of lifeless matter 

 moulded to suit the purpose of the organism which 

 uses them. The living thing has to arm himself 

 with hard matter at the chosen points of himself 

 where he comes in conflict with the world of matter. 

 The particles of matter of which a rhinoceros horn 

 and a man's dagger are built are prisoners made to 

 fight against their comrades matter impressed into 

 the service of life in its battle with matter. The 

 difference between implement and limb cannot, 

 therefore, I think, be stated to consist in the dead- 

 ness of the former and the aliveness of the latter. 



Our reluctance to admit that the implement of 

 a man is in any sense a part of him is due to our 

 ingrained habit of thinking in terms of matter, 

 which makes us regard the real essential living 

 being as co- extensive with its body. That is why 

 we think the claw to be part of a crab but refuse 

 to admit that the forceps are a (detachable) part 

 of the anatomist. But the essence of an organism, 

 as its name implies, lies in the work which it does ; 

 not in the chemical elements out of which it is made. 

 And as regards work done, the claw of the crab 

 and the forceps of the anatomist are perfectly 

 analogous to one another. 



The general conclusion which I believe to be 



E 49 



