May 13, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



753 



' ' Conscious inhibition is thus distinct 

 from reflex action; the potential reaction 

 may, however, be stored up and effect 

 future conduct. Consciousness has a se- 

 lective power manifest both in choosing 

 from sensations received at the same time 

 and in combining sensations received at dif- 

 ferent times. It may make synchronous 

 impressions dysynchronous in their effects 

 and dysynchronous impressions synchron- 

 ous, which statement is but a paraphrase 

 of the original— the function of conscious- 

 ness is to dislocate in time the reactions 

 from the sensations." 



"Our eyes, ears, taste, etc., are available 

 becaiise they supply consciousness with 

 data. Our nerves, muscles, bones, etc., are 

 available because they enable consciousness 

 to effect the needed reactions." His view 

 of animal consciousness is thus forcibly ex- 

 pressed: "The conception of homology, 

 both of structure and of function, lies at 

 the base of all biological science, which 

 must be and remain incomprehensible to 

 any mind not thoroughly imbued with this 

 conception. Unless those who are defi- 

 cient in this respect can fail to understand 

 that the evidence is overwhelming that ani- 

 mals have a consciousness homologous with 

 the human consciousness, the proof is con- 

 clusive. As regards at least mammals — 

 I think we can safely say as regards verte- 

 brates—the proof is the whole sum of our 

 knowledge of the structure, functions and 

 life of these animals. As we descend the 

 animal scale to lower animals there is no 

 break and, therefore, no point in the de- 

 scent where we can say here animal con- 

 sciousness ends and animals below are with- 

 out it. It seems inevitable therefore to 

 admit that consciousness extends far down 

 through the animal kingdom, certainly at 

 least as far down as there are animals with 

 sense organs, or even the most rudimentary 

 nervous system. It is unsatisfactory to 

 rely chiefly on the anatomical evidence for 



the answer to our query. We await eagerly 

 the results from psychological experiments 

 on the lower vertebrates. A sense organ, 

 however, implies consciousness, and since 

 such organs occur among coelenterates, we 

 are ready to assign consciousness to these 

 animals. ' ' 



"The series of considerations which we 

 have had before us lead directly to the con- 

 clusion that the development and improve- 

 ment of consciousness has been the most 

 important, really the dominating factor in 

 the evolution of the animal series." 



Minot is of those who would not deny 

 consciousness absolutely to even vegetable 

 organisms, for he says: "A frank unbiased 

 study of consciousness must convince every 

 biologist that it is one of the fundamental 

 phenomena of at least animal life, if not, 

 as is quite possible, of all life." 



On ad.justment and communication be- 

 tween individuals he thus expresses him- 

 self : " It is interesting to consider the evo- 

 lution of adjustment to external reality in 

 its broadest features. In the lowest ani- 

 mals the range of the possible adjustment 

 is very limited. In them not only is a 

 variety of possible actions small, but they 

 cover also a small period of time. In ani- 

 mals which have acquired a higher organ- 

 ism the adjustments are more complex, 

 both because the reactions are more varied, 

 and because they cover a longer period of 

 time. Thus the jelly fish depends upon 

 such food as happens to come within its 

 reach, seizing from moment to moment that 

 which it encounters; biit the lobster pur- 

 sues its food, making complicated move- 

 ments in order to reach and seize it. One 

 can trap a lobster easily; I doubt if one 

 can trap a jelly fish at all. The next great 

 advance is marked by the establishment of 

 communication between individuals of the 

 same species. About this phenomenon we 

 know exceedingly little; the investigation 

 of it is one of the most important duties of 



