MENTAL LIFE 



results of empirical investigation in a sketch of the 

 natural evolution of man, paying special regard to em- 

 bryology. I pointed out in chapters ii.-vi. of the 

 Riddle how important a part of our monistic philosophy 

 this phylogenetic anthropology is. 



The monistic conception of the human body and 

 mind, which the theory of descent has put on a zoo- 

 logical basis, was bound to meet with the sternest 

 resistance in dualistic and metaphysical circles. It was, 

 however, also regarded with great disapproval by many 

 modern empirical anthropologists* especially those who 

 take it to be their chief task to make as "exact" a 

 study as possible of the human frame, and measure and 

 describe its various parts. We might have expected 

 these descriptive anthropologists and ethnologists to 

 extend a friendly hand to the new anthropogeny, and 

 avail themselves of its leading ideas, in order to bring 

 unity and causal connection into the enormous mass of 

 empirical material accumulated. However, this took 

 place only to a limited extent. The majority of anthro- 

 pologists regarded evolution, and especially the evolution 

 of man, as an undemonstrated hypothesis. They con- 

 fined themselves to accumulating huge masses of raw 

 empirical material, without having any clear aim or any 

 definite questions in view. This was chiefly the case in 

 Germany, where the Society of Anthropology and Pre- 

 historic Research was for thirty years under the lead 

 of Rudolph Virchow. This famous scientist had won 

 great honor in connection with the reform of medicine 

 by his cellular pathology and a number of distinguished 

 works on pathological anatomy and histology since the 

 middle of the nineteenth century. But when he after- 

 wards (subsequently to his removal to Berlin, 1856) 

 devoted himself chiefly to political and social questions, 

 he lost sight of the great advance made in other branches 

 of biology. He completely failed to appreciate its 

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