The Story of the Living Machine: A Review of the Conclusions of Modern Biology in Regard; to the Mechanism Which Controls the Phenomena of Living; Activity — John Shaqi
The Story of the Living Machine: A Review of the Conclusions of Modern Biology in Regard; to the Mechanism Which Controls the Phenomena of Living; ActivityConn, H. W. (Herbert William)
Philosophy
The Story of the Living Machine: A Review of the Conclusions of Modern Biology in Regard; to the Mechanism Which Controls the Phenomena of Living; Activity
Conn, H. W. (Herbert William)
Biology
==What is a Machine?==--Turning now to our more immediate subject of the
accuracy of the statement that the body is a machine, we must first ask
what is meant by a machine? A brief definition of a machine might be as
follows: _A machine is a piece of apparatus so designed that it can
change one kind of energy into another for a definite purpose_. Energy,
as already noticed, is the power of doing work, and its ordinary active
forms are heat, motion, electricity, light, etc.; but it may be in a
passive or potential form, and in this form stored within a chemical
molecule. These various forms of energy are readily convertible into
each other; and any form of apparatus designed for the purpose of
producing such a conversion is called a machine. A dynamo is thus a
machine so adjusted that when mechanical motion is supplied to it the
energy of motion is converted into electricity; while an electromotor,
on the other hand, is a piece of apparatus so designed that when
electricity is applied to it, it is converted into motion. A steam
engine, again, is designed to convert potential or passive energy into
active energy. Potential energy in the form of chemical composition
(coal) is supplied to the engine, and this energy is first liberated in
the active form of heat and then is converted into the motion of the
great fly-wheel. In all these cases there is no energy or power created,
for the machine must be always supplied with an amount of energy equal
to that which it gives back in another form. Indeed, a larger amount of
energy must be furnished the machine than is expected back, for there is
always an actual loss of available energy. In the process of the
conversion of one form of energy into another some of the energy, from
friction or other cause, takes the form of heat, and is then radiated
into space beyond our reach. It is, of course, not destroyed, for energy
cannot be destroyed; but it has assumed a form called radiant heat,
which is not available for our uses. A machine thus neither creates nor
destroys energy. It receives it in one form and gives it back in another
form, with an inevitable loss of a portion of the energy as radiant
heat. With this understanding, we may now ask if the living body can be
properly compared with a machine.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account