Chapter XLVIII: Book IX: The Philosophy of Biology

CHAP. 1. ANALOGY OF BIOLOGY WITH OTHER SCIENCES. 169

_Art._ 1. Biology involves the Idea of Life.
2. This Idea to be historically traced.
3. The Idea at first expressed by means of other
Ideas.
4. Mystical, Mechanical, Chemical, and Vital
Fluid Hypotheses.

CHAP. II. SUCCESSIVE BIOLOGICAL HYPOTHESES 174

_Sect._ I. _The Mystical School._

_Sect._ II. _The Iatrochemical School._

_Sect._ III. _The Iatromathematical School._

_Sect._ IV. _The Vital Fluid School._

_Sect._ V. _The Psychical School._ {xi}

CHAP. III. ATTEMPTS TO ANALYSE THE IDEA OF LIFE 195

_Art._ 1. Definitions of Life,
2. By Stahl, Humboldt, Kant.
3. Definition of Organization by Kant.
4. Life is a System of Functions.
5. Bichat. _Sum_ of Functions.
6. Use of Definition.
7. Cuvier's view.
8. Classifications of Functions.
9. Vital, Natural, and Animal Functions.
10. Bichat. Organic and Animal Life.
11. Use of this Classification.

CHAP. IV. ATTEMPTS TO FORM IDEAS OF SEPARATE VITAL FORCES,
AND FIRST, OF ASSIMILATION AND SECRETION 203

_Sect._ I. _Course of Biological Research._
_Art._ 1. Observation and New Conceptions.

_Sect._ II. _Attempts to form a distinct Conception
of Assimilation and Secretion._
_Art._ 2. The Ancients.
3. Buffon. Interior Mould.
4. Defect of this view.
5. Cuvier. Life a Vortex.
6. Defect of this view.
7. Schelling. Matter and Form.
8. Life a constant Form of circulating Matter, &c.

_Sect._ III. _Attempts to conceive the Forces of
Assimilation and Secretion._
_Art._ 9. Assimilation is a Vital Force.
10. The name 'Assimilation.'
11. Several processes involved in Assimilation.
12. _Absorption_. Endosmose.
13. Absorption involves a Vital Force.
14. _Secretion_. Glands.
15. Motions of Vital Fluids.
{xii}
_Sect._ IV. _Attempts to conceive the Process of Generation._
_Art._ 16. 'Reproduction' figuratively used for Generation.
17. Nutrition different from
18. Generation.
19. Generations successively included.
20. Pre-existence of Germs.
21. Difficulty of this view.
22. Communication of Vital Forces.
23. Close similarity of Nutrition and Generation.
24. The Identity of the two Processes exemplified.

CHAP. V. ATTEMPTS TO FORM IDEAS OF SEPARATE VITAL
FORCES, _continued_.--VOLUNTARY MOTION. 222

_Art._ 1. Voluntary Motion one of the animal Functions.
2. Progressive knowledge of it.
3. Nervous Fluid not electric.
4. Irritability. Glisson.
5. Haller.
6. Contractility.
7. Organic Sensibility and Contractility not separable.
8. Improperly described by Bichat.
9. Brown.
10. Contractility a peculiar Power.
11. Cuvier's view.
12. Elementary contractile Action.
13. Strength of Muscular Fibre.
14. Sensations become Perceptions
15. By means of Ideas;
16. And lead to Muscular Actions.
17. Volition comes between Perception and Action.
18. Transition to Psychology,
19. A center is introduced.
20. The central consciousness may be obscure.
21. Reflex Muscular Action.
22. Instinct.
23. Difficulty of conceiving Instinct.
24. Instinct opposed to Insight.
{xiii}

CHAP. VI. OF THE IDEA OF FINAL CAUSES 239

_Art._ 1. Organization. Parts are Ends and Means.
2. Not merely mutually dependent.
3. Not merely mutually Cause and Effect.
4. Notion of _End_ not derived from Facts.
5. This notion has regulated Physiology.
6. Notion of Design comes from within.
7. Design not understood by Savages.
8. Design opposed to Morphology.
9. Impression of Design when fresh.
10. Acknowledgement of an End by adverse Physiologists.
11. This included in the Notion of Disease.
12. It belongs to organized Creatures only.
13. The term Final _Cause_.
14. Law and Design.
15. Final Causes and Morphology.
16. Expressions of physiological Ends.
17. The Conditions of Existence.
18. The asserted presumption of Teleology.
19. Final Causes in other subjects.
20. Transition to Palætiology.