LIFE AND HUMAN NATURE - 1914 - CONTENTS - PART I THE ATTRIBUTES OF LIFE CHAPTER I PAGE INTRODUCTORY - - - - - - - - - - 3 The study of human nature-its attractiveness-the sur prising anomalies and inconsistencies of mans dispositionif 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 0 8 only be inferred from its manifestations-what are these manifestations -the marvel ous energy of Life-instincts, h pulsive and directive-consciousness and volition-memory, habit and imit ation-sensi tiveness and responsivenesschangefulness-life not the result but the cause of the substances and organs with which it is ass ciated-the proofs of this contention-Lifes disregard of such natural laws as express the workings of lifeless matter7functions without organs-anomalies of development and reproduction-its invasion of new environments-the repetition of it schemes with altered material. Mans 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 quali ties-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 imitationmans changefulness of disposition illustrated by his migrations, and by his pleasure in the ludicrous, in gambling and in drink. Sensations are produced in the brain, not received by the sensory organs, and, so far, resemble memories and hallucinations-the typical sensory organ--sensation without sensory organs--our sensations are not descriptive but symbolic, and give us no true ideas of the things that excite them-moreover, they need to be constantly corrected by memories and inferences-the nature of memories-they may be mistaken for sensations--sensations of ours elves-the connection between sensation and reaction is primarily automatic and inevitable--its control by other sensations and by memories, impulses and habits-reflex and ideo-motor actions-the mysterious workings of directive instinct in the lower animals - the origin of consciousness in sensation, in the feeling which accompanies an impression-pleasure and pain, derived from sens ation-their ambiguity as guides to. behaviour-erroneous conceptions of their utiIity-their influence in the formation of habits... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.