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THE AMEBIC AN NATURALIST [Vol. XL VII 



physics and chemistry. Out of the properties of univer- 

 sal matter and the characteristics of universal energy 

 has arisen mechanism as the expression of physico- 

 chemical activity and the instrument of physico-chem- 

 ical performance. Given matter, energy and the result- 

 ing necessity that life shall be a mechanism, then the 

 conclusion follows that the atmosphere of solid astro- 

 nomical bodies does actually provide the best of all pos- 

 sible environments for life. 



Vitalism 



Modern vitalism consists in asserting the existence of 

 a directive tendency which manifests itself in or through 

 the organism alone and is peculiar to life. 



In such speculations the properties of matter and the 

 processes of cosmic evolution have no place. Bergson 

 indeed very definitely, and it would seem gratuitously, 

 puts aside cosmic evolution, and also with slight reser- 

 vations the properties of matter, as of no essential con- 

 sequence in organic evolution. 



Yet whoever is disposed to speculate about biological 

 fitness, and not even the incomparable finesse of M. Berg- 

 son's dialectic can make fitness other than the most gen- 

 eral result of the process of organic evolution, must now 

 weigh well the cosmic processes. For, if allowance be 

 made for the results of natural selection, fitness of en- 

 vironment has the greater claim to be considered. 



The two fitnesses are complementary; are they then 

 single or dual in origin? The simpler view would be to 

 imagine one common impetus operating upon all matter, 

 inorganic and organic, through all stages of its evolu- 

 tion, in all its states and forms and leading to worlds 

 like our own through paths apparently purposeful. Such 

 it seems to me is the natural hypothesis for the vitalist 

 to adopt. But then vitalism vanishes, only teleology re- 

 mains. Yet putting aside mechanistic differences is it 

 not now lost in any case? Has not modern vitalism in 

 accepting the limitation to entelechies or impetus de- 

 stroyed itself? 



The situation, briefly, seems to be as follows : Two evo- 



