LECTURE X. 

 ADAPTIVENESS AND PURPOSIVENESS. 



1. Animate Nature Abounds in Adaptations. 2. Their Origin 

 neither by Design nor Mechanical. 3. Is There ' Purpose ' 

 in the Inorganic Domain? 4. Purposefulness and Purposive- 

 ness in Human Behaviour. 5. Purposiveness and Purpose- 

 fulness in Animal Behaviour. 6. The Purposelikeness of the 

 Ordinary Functioning of the Body is Covered by the Concept 

 of Adaptation. 7. Provisional Conclusion and Anticipation. 



OUR survey of the Realm of Organisms as it is affords 

 evidence in support of the following propositions: (1) that 

 living creatures are individualities standing apart from 

 things in general and not exhaustively described in mecha- 

 nistic terms; (2) that their lives abound in behaviour with 

 a psychical aspect; (3) that there is in Animate Nature 

 a prevalence of orderly systematisation, balance, and smooth 

 working; (4) that there is a pervasive beauty both hidden 

 and revealed; and (5) that a very large proportion of the 

 time and energy at the disposal of organisms is devoted to 

 activities which make not for self-maintenance and self- 

 aggrandisement, but for the continuance and welfare of the 

 race. In fact, we find in Animate Nature far-reaching 

 correspondence to the ideals of the True, the Beautiful, and 

 the Good correspondences which may suggest to some a 

 possible line of development for Natural Theology. 



1. Animate Nature Abounds in Adaptations. 



A survey of the realm of organisms affords another great 

 impression and that is the prevalence of adaptations. " The 



319 



