To analyse the classes of life we have to consider two very different
kinds of phenomena: the one embraced under the collective name—Inorganic
chemistry—the other under the collective name—Organic chemistry, or the
chemistry of hydro-carbons. These divisions are made because of the
peculiar properties of the elements chiefly involved in the second class.
The properties of matter are so distributed among the elements that three
of them—Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Carbon—possess an ensemble of unique
characteristics. The number of reactions in inorganic chemistry are
relatively few, but in organic chemistry—in the chemistry of these three
elements the number of different compounds is practically unlimited. Up to
1910, we knew of more than 79 elements of which the whole number of
reactions amounted to only a few hundreds, but among the remaining three
elements—Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen—the reactions were known to be
practically unlimited in number and possibilities; this fact must have
very far reaching consequences. As far as energies are concerned, we have
to take them as nature reveals them to us. Here more than ever,
mathematical thinking is essential and will help enormously. The reactions
in inorganic chemistry always involve the phenomenon of heat, sometimes
light, and in some instances an unusual energy is produced called
electricity. Until now, the radioactive elements represent a group too
insufficiently known for an enlargement here upon this subject.
The organic compounds being unlimited in number and possibilities and with
their unique characteristics, represent of course, a different class of
phenomena, but being, at the same time, _chemical_ they include the basic
chemical phenomena involved in all chemical reactions, but being unique in
many other respects, they also have an infinitely vast field of unique
characteristics. Among the energetic phenomena of organic chemistry,
besides the few mentioned above there are NEW AND UNIQUE energetic
phenomena occurring in this dimension.
Of these phenomena, mention may be made of the phenomenon “life,” the
phenomenon of the “instincts” and of the “mind” in general. These
energetic phenomena are unique for the unique chemistry of the three
unique elements. It is obvious that this “uniqueness” is the reason why
these phenomena must be classified as belonging to or having a higher
dimensionality than belongs to the phenomena of inorganic chemistry just
as the uniqueness of the properties of a volume as compared with surface
properties depends upon the fact that a volume has a higher dimensionality
than a surface. Just as this difference of dimensions makes the whole
difference between the geometry of volumes and the geometry of surfaces,
the difference between the two chemistries involves a difference of
dimensionality.
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