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THE AMEBIC AN NATURALIST [Vol. XLYII 



unite, being restrained by entelechy. Again, the same two 

 substances are in juxtaposition, under the same condi- 

 tions. This time they do unite, not being restrained by 

 entelechy. If we have several chemicals in juxtaposi- 

 tion, the variety of results obtainable as a result of se- 

 lective suspension by entelechy would be very great. By 

 studying what happens under given conditions in one or 

 several cases, one could discover no rule that would 

 hold, as to what would happen under the same conditions 

 in another case. 



49. It is evident that the conditions set forth by 

 Driesch for the operation of entelechy are present in 

 every organism, and in every cell of every organism. 

 Tims if the experimenter on organisms reaches different 

 results in different cases, he may be quite on the wrong- 

 track in searching for some perceptual difference in the 

 two cases ; the diversity of results may be due to the di- 

 verse operation of entelechy on perceptually identical 

 systems. This Driesch fully recognizes, as the quota- 

 tion given in section 38 shows; other statements to the 

 same effect, such as: "I reject absolute indeterminism, 

 but accept experimental indeterminism," are quoted in 

 a former paper. 34 



50. It will be observed that the acceptance of experi- 

 mental indeterminism is a necessary consequence of the 

 exposition of the work of entelechy given in the 1 1 Science 

 and Philosophy of the Organism." But apparently this 

 is an undesigned consequence; what the author at- 

 tempted to establish is the activity of the non-perceptual 

 agent, and he is merely compelled to accept experi- 

 mental indeterminism into the bargain, apparently with 

 some reluctance. He has not, so far as I know, touched 

 in his published works upon the difficulty for experimen- 

 tation induced by this condition of affairs. 35 He now, 



