CONTINUITY OF VITAL PROCESSES 33 



equivalent increase in the complexity of molecular 

 structure. 



The simplest view of life then in this sense is a 

 system of dynamically unstable groups of molecules, 

 provided some principle is at work by which such 

 molecules can be built up as well as broken down. 

 The German philosopher, Gr. T. Fechner, in his work 

 Einige Ideen zur Schopfungs und Entwickelungs 

 Geschichte der Organismen, takes a dynamical view 

 of Nature and of the connection between organic and 

 inorganic matter. There is a tendency to greater and 

 greater stability, and for this reason he regards the 

 inorganic as the final product of the organic, but in 

 the later edition of his work, Fechner admits his con- 

 version to the Darwinian theory of the evolution 

 from the lower to higher forms of life^ as he also 

 doubtless would admit the development of organic 

 from inorganic Nature. 



Notwithstanding such a tendency towards greater 

 and greater stability in the more elementary forms of 

 matter, a counteracting process does no doubt exist. 

 That is, a process of synthesis, as well as of decom- 

 position ; and the manner by which such aggregates 

 are formed is less obvious than that by which they 

 gradually break up. There can be no question that 

 they are so formed. In some of the chapters which 

 are to follow, we shall deal with the mechanism by 

 which such changes are effected. There must be 

 some method, as it appears at first sight, by which 

 such synthesis can be brought about : and, granting 

 this, there can be no doubt that the process can be kept 



