Life and human nature / by Sir Bampfylde Fuller.

  • Fuller, Bampfylde, Sir, 1854-1937.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Life and human nature / by Sir Bampfylde Fuller. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: THE ATTRIBUTES OF LIFE CHAPTER I PAGF. INTRODUCTORY 3 The study of human nature—its attractiveness—the sur- prising anomalies and inconsistencies of man’s disposition— if man has risen by evolution up the ranks of the animal king- dom the roots of his behaviour must stretch down the animal kingdom, and must, indeed, lie as deep as life itself—the essential nature of Life cannot be discerned by our senses, may only be inferred from its manifestations—what are these mani- festations ?—the marvellous energy of Life—instincts, im- pulsive and directive—consciousness and volition—memory, habit and imitation—sensitiveness and responsiveness— changefulness—Life not the result but the cause of the sub- stances and organs with which it is associated—the proofs of this contention—Life’s disregard of such natural laws as express the workings of lifeless matter—functions without organs—anomalies of development and reproduction—its invasion of new environments—the repetition of its schemes with altered material. CHANGE CHAPTER II Man’s inherent desire for Change—the ceaseless round of change in the substance of our bodies—also, by death and reproduction, in the constitution of a species—the changes that have resulted in the evolution of species—Darwinism— Mendelism—the former cannot, the latter can explain the occurrence of useless features or qualities—illustrations of such useless developments—has evolution resulted from capricious changefulness or has it been guided by design, or by environment, imitation or habit ?—the difficulties involved in the spread of new characters from the individual to the species—possible influences of environment of imitation— man’s changefulness of disposition illustrated by his migra- tions, and by his pleasure in the ludicrous, in gambling and in drink. 24