assumed the possibility of spontaneous conception (without 

 semen and uterus") . * 



In case of conception from parents, their semen is 

 mixed and forms cloudy liquid which undergoes a kind of 

 fermentation, what is formed during this heat widens the 

 particles of semen, they "press on other particles sub- 

 sequently locating them gradually. This is the way of 

 forming the body organs... Heat compels some of the 

 particles of semen to be collected near definite points 

 of the space... Thus the heart begins to be formed"2. 

 The movement of blood from heart makes a way through semen 

 particles, that is why the blood again returns to the 

 heart, and by this way the vascular system is formed. 

 After this, the movement of particles of different kinds 

 leads to the subsequent formation of the organs - verte- 

 brates with spinal cord, brain, paired organs of sensation 

 and so on. The energetic character of these embryological 

 presentations is completely obvious. However, Dekart con- 

 sidered that it is necessary to underline this. "In order 

 to get acquainted with the figure of the already formed 

 animal, it should be understood what it represents at the 

 beginning of its formation and it is necessary to imagine 

 semen, as some mass, from which, the heart is first formed, 

 around it the hollow vein is located on one side while on 

 the other the large artery, united by two tips. The tips 

 of these vessels, to which the openings of the heart are 

 directed, indicate the side, where the head must be present, 

 others also indicate that side, where the lower parts of 

 the body must be present" 3 (36) . 



(10) The idea of preformation may be traced back to 

 remote ancient times. Anaksagor taught that "hairs cannot 

 be formed from no hairs and raft from no raft" similar 

 ideas were stated by several authors especially Senekoi, 

 who in "Questions of nature" wrote: "In semen all future 



1. See S. F. Vasilev. "Evolution ideas in Dekart philos- 

 ophy (Introductory article in book" Rene Dekart. 

 Kosmogoniya . Two treatises. GTTI. 1934, p. 121) . 



2. R. Dekart. Description of human body. In book: 

 Kosmogoniya, p. 286-287. 



3. See also pp. 298-299. 



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