Science and the modern worldWhitehead, Alfred North
Religion
Science and the modern world
Whitehead, Alfred North
Science
Further, viewing the question as a matter of chemistry, there is no need
to construe the actions of each molecule in a living body by its
exclusive particular reference to the pattern of the complete living
organism. It is true that each molecule is affected by the aspect of
this pattern as mirrored in it, so as to be otherwise than what it would
have been if placed elsewhere. In the same way, under some circumstances
an electron may be a sphere, and under other circumstances an egg-shaped
volume. The mode of approach to the problem, so far as science is
concerned, is merely to ask if molecules exhibit in living bodies
properties which are not to be observed amid inorganic surroundings. In
the same way, in a magnetic field soft iron exhibits magnetic properties
which are in abeyance elsewhere. The prompt self-preservative actions of
living bodies, and our experience of the physical actions of our bodies
following the determinations of will, suggest the modification of
molecules in the body as the result of the total pattern. It seems
possible that there may be physical laws expressing the modification of
the ultimate basic organisms when they form part of higher organisms
with adequate compactness of pattern. It would, however, be entirely in
consonance with the empirically observed action of environments, if the
direct effects of aspects as between the whole body and its parts were
negligible. We should expect transmission. In this way the modification
of total pattern would transmit itself by means of a series of
modifications of a descending series of parts, so that finally the
modification of the cell changes its aspect in the molecule, thus
effecting a corresponding alteration in the molecule,—or in some subtler
entity. Thus the question for physiology is the question of the physics
of molecules in cells of different characters.
We can now see the relation of psychology to physiology and to physics.
The private psychological field is merely the event considered from its
own standpoint. The unity of this field is the unity of the event. But
it is the event as one entity, and not the event as a sum of parts. The
relations of the parts, to each other and to the whole, are their
aspects, each in the other. A body for an external observer is the
aggregate of the aspects for him of the body as a whole, and also of the
body as a sum of parts. For the external observer the aspects of shape
and of sense-objects are dominant, at least for cognition. But we must
also allow for the possibility that we can detect in ourselves direct
aspects of the mentalities of higher organisms. The claim that the
cognition of alien mentalities must necessarily be by means of indirect
inferences from aspects of shape and of sense-objects is wholly
unwarranted by this philosophy of organism. The fundamental principle is
that whatever merges into actuality, implants its aspects in every
individual event.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account