The Principles of Biology, Volume 1 (of 2)Spencer, Herbert
Science
The Principles of Biology, Volume 1 (of 2)
Spencer, Herbert
Biology
immersion in alcohol, grow more numerous and distinct; and by and by they
begin to exhibit transverse stripes. The bone-cells put on by degrees their
curious structure of branching canals. And so in their respective ways with
the units of skin and the rest.
Thus in each of the organic sub-kingdoms, we see this change from an
incoherent, indefinite homogeneity to a coherent, definite heterogeneity,
illustrated in a quadruple way. The originally-like units called cells,
become unlike in various ways, and in ways more numerous and marked as the
development goes on. The several tissues which these several classes of
cells form by aggregation, grow little by little distinct from each other;
and little by little put on those structural complexities that arise from
differentiations among their component units. In the shoot, as in the limb,
the external form, originally very simple, and having much in common with
simple forms in general, gradually acquires an increasing complexity, and
an increasing unlikeness to other forms. Meanwhile, the remaining parts of
the organism to which the shoot or limb belongs, having been severally
assuming structures divergent from one another and from that of this
particular shoot or limb, there has arisen a greater heterogeneity in the
organism as a whole.
§ 52. One of the most remarkable inductions of embryology comes next in
order. And here we find illustrated the general truth that in mental
evolution as in bodily evolution the progress is from the indefinite and
inexact to the definite and exact. For the first statement of this
induction was but an adumbration of the correct statement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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