174 University of California Publications in Zoology. [Vol. 4 



the course of action is throughout modified by the situation as a 

 whole. The organisms as a unit react to the entire situation, not 

 separately to the separate parts of it. Driesch has expressed this 

 by saying that the entire complex of stimuli has coalesced to form 

 an "individualized stimulus," and that the organism reacts to 

 this individualized stimulus. This statement is doubtless true, 

 but what does it mean as regards the physiological processes that 

 occur? It does not answer the question : What determines at the 

 present moment the present action of any given part? Why does 

 ray a now release and rise, Mobile d attaches and pulls, etc. ? 



DriescWs Doctrine of the Entelechy. — We may search for the 

 answer to these questions in two different directions. One is 

 illustrated by the discussion given by Driesch. This leads to the 

 view, partly set forth in Driesch 's work on the "Die Seele" 

 (1903), and more fully in a more recent work (1904). This view 

 may be expressed briefly as follows : There is something that may 

 be called a "Psychoid," or, more generally, an "Entelechy," 

 that is interpolated in the chain of action ("mitten in das Gesch- 

 ehen hineingestellt"). This Entelechy is something that inter- 

 venes in the action, either by compensating differences in poten- 

 tial between various opposing forces or by putting an end to 

 existing compensation, so that something happens where it other- 

 wise would not, or fails to happen where it otherwise would." 

 This interference of the Entelechy occurs when the interest of the 

 organism requires it, and its action tends to the production of a 

 definite future result. ^^ This Entelechy is not a form of energy, 

 nor is it a resultant of the chemico-physical factors present, but 

 is something new and different from the latter. ^"^ While it is 



" ' ' Wir wissen iiber die Einzelausseruiig der Entelechie nichts zur Zeit, 

 aber so viel eben kann Allgemein ausgesprochen werden, dass eine ' * Komp- 

 ensation, ' ' d. h. eine Ausgleichshemniung bestehender Potenzial-differenzen 

 chemisch-aggregativer Art zum Wesentliclisten ihrer Einzelleistungen 

 gehoren muss. Hort solche Heinmung auf, so geschieht eben etwas, und 

 sie hort dann auf wenn die Eigenart des Entelechie es infolge von Stor- 

 ungen mit sicli bringt. " (Driesch, 1904). 



^'^ Das vitale Agens gibt seine Hemniungen typisch-spezifisch auf, wenn 

 bei normaler Entwicklung oder nach Storungen oder bei Handlungen 

 Typisch-Spezifisches erreicht werden soil." (1. c, p. 18.5.) 



" ' ' leh halte es sehr verbreiteten Denkgewohnheiten gegeniiber, f iir 

 durchaus unzulassig, sieh die Entelechie gleichsam als Eesultante, wenn auch 

 prinzipiell neuer Art, vorzustellen, welche durch ein zusammenwirken vieler 

 anorganischen Faktoren gleichsam er?tiinde. " (/. c, p. 195.) "Als etwas 

 neues kommt Entelechie zu alien anorganischen Konstanten hinzu. " (I. c, 

 p. 203.) "Weiter lasst sich liber die Bedingungen des Aufhorens der 

 Hemmung darum nichts sagen, well die intensive Mannigfaltigkeit der 

 Entelechie etwas Letztes, Naturgegebenes. " (L c.) 



