Biosophy 
past and a finite future. The organism dies and the 
work of millions of years is ended as though it had 
never been, although the material components are un- 
changed in quantity and are ready to enter into the 
constitution of fresh compounds or fresh organisms, and 
the consciousness, broken into a multitude of low level 
unis is ready to combine to higher levels pari passu 
‘with fresh combinations of the electronic mechanism, 
101. Speculation as to the nature of consciousness 
is not metaphysical, it is legitimate and necessary. There 
are two things in the universe of which ,we have 
knowledge—consciousness and the electron—and of 
these our knowledge of consciousness is the clearer. 
162. Whatever picture we may form in our minds 
as to the precise relationship between matter, life and 
consciousness it appears to me absolutely certain that 
life and consciousness are qualitatively and quantita- 
tively related to and dependent on the degree attained of 
molecular chemical complexity; that in the absence of 
high chemical complexity life and consciousness of a 
high order do not and cannot exist; and that in the whole 
of the universe there is no possibility of a grade of 
consciousness approaching that of man, with the very 
doubtful exception of a few neighboring planets or of 
worlds at such inconceivable distance that no influence 
whatever could reach our earth. In the case of the great 
majority of the celestial bodies, we have direct evidence . 
that the temperature conditions negative the possibility 
of even the simplest chemical combination. 
103. The conception of the universe at which we 
arrive is accordingly that there are two factors: firstly 
malter, which is in the form of separate particles—the 
electrons; secondly consciousness (? compare ether), 
which is indefinitely extended, but which is localised 
in some manner into individualities each of which is 
intimately related to a particular molecular complex or 
material organism. The conditions. obtaining in 
different parts of the universe are very varied; but for 
the most part molecular aggregation and therefore con- 
sciousness is at a very low level. The conditions on 
our own planet are exceptional, and man's personality 
is by far the highest of which we have any. evidence, 
and the highest that can exist within a distance which is 
ereat even on an astronomical scale. The study of 
evolution, however, convinces us that there are possi- 
bilities in the future of man evolving to a type as far 
above the present, as regards both bodily frame and 
conscious personality, as existing man is above his pre- 
human ancestors. 
104. If consciousness is regarded as the property 
of an ether-like medium, it is only in presence of an 
electronic mechanism that it becomes active, and the 
quantity and quality of each mass of consciousness must 
be regarded as corresponding to the extent and com- 
plexity of the molecular grouping to which it is related; 
only through its related electronic mechanism can it act 
or be acted on; where electronic mechanism is lacking, 
as in empty space, consciousness is absent. As molecular 
eroups combine, break up and re-arrange themselves, 
so the related individual consciousness would extend, 
diminish or become modified. 
105. The obvious relation in the higher animals 
be:ween consciousness and the central nervous system 
has led some zoologists to regard consciousness as, con- 
fined to animals with a well-developed central nervous 
system. That is not the view here taken, which is that 
consciousness at a lower level is present in all forms of 
life, but that in course of evolution specialisation has 
taken place among the various tissues and organs; so 
ihat while in primitive forms all the functions of life 
are evenly balanced in a single cell or in one or two 
simple tissues, in higher forms consciousness is 
developed to its highest level in the central nervous 
system, just as the kidneys concentrate on excretion and 
the lungs on respiration. 
106. There is one point I wish to make clear; the 
question as to whether the seat of consciousness is in 
an ether-like medium, as here suggested, or in the 
electronic mechanism, is relatively doubtful and not 
-of practical importance; the essential thing claimed is 
that consciousness is a function of chemical complexity, 
and that this is so I feel convinced so strongly as to 
regard the proposition as a truism. The implications 
of this proposition, if accepted, are of the greatest prac- 
tical importance to mankind, for they make the survival 
of human personality after death and the existence of 
anything in the nature of a god a sheer impossibility. 
The abandoning of belief in God and of life after death 
is no loss to man; on the contrary, it will enable him 
to visualise, free of illusion and distraction, the possi- 
bilities of life on earth, and to devote his energy to 
realising these possibilities. Is there not enough 
mystery and beauty in the real universe and in life? 
94 
and has man gained anything by pursuing the phantoms 
and delusions of supernatural religion? 
107. The problem of the relationship of mind to 
matter has always been one of the chief features of the 
various philosophical systems which have from time to 
time gained credence, and it will be interesting to con- 
sider briefly the views of some of the philosophers. 
108. Empedocles, one of the earliest of the Greek 
philosophers, having been born early in the 5th century 
B.C., held views which were naturally crude owing to 
the absence of systematic science. He originated the 
conception of four primary elements, earth, air, fire and 
water, which indeed are still popularly spoken of as the 
elements. Empedocles considered that all things are 
various minglings of these four. He further considered 
—and this is the interesting point—that the “mingling 
of the elements is due to a desire or love between them, 
and conversely that separation of the elements is due 
to hatred. Love is therefore the formative principle 
and hate the destructive. In this ancient view of the 
loves and hatreds of the elements we have an idea which 
has long been lost sight of, but which may be recognised 
in some modern theories of matter, 
109. Democritus, who was born B.C. 460, originated 
the theory of atoms, which in modern times received 
scientific confirmation. at the hands of Dalton in the 
