第202章

Descending to a more concrete view, we saw that the law sought must bethe law of the continuous re-distribution of Matter and Motion. The changeseverywhere going on, from those which are slowly altering the structure ofour galaxy down to those which constitute a chemical decomposition, are changesin the relative positions of component parts; and everywhere necessarilyimply that along with a new arrangement of Matter there has arisen a newarrangement of Motion. Hence it follows that there must be a law of the concomitantredistribution of Matter and Motion which holds of every change, and which,by thus unifying all changes, must be the basis of a Philosophy.

In commencing our search for this universal law of re-distribution, wecontemplated from another point of view the problem of Philosophy, and sawthat its solution could not but be of the nature indicated. It was shownthat an ideally complete Philosophy must formulate the whole series of changespassed through by existences separately and as a whole in passing from theimperceptible to the perceptible and again from the perceptible to the imperceptible.

If it begins its explanations with existences that already have concreteforms, or leaves off while they still retain concrete forms, then, manifestly,they had preceding histories, or will have succeeding histories, or both,of which no account is given. Whence we saw it to follow that the formulasought, equally applicable to existences taken singly and in their totality,must be applicable to the whole history of each and to the whole historyof all. This must be the ideal form of a Philosophy, however far short ofit the reality may fall.

By these considerations we were brought within view of the formula. Forif it had to express the entire progress from the imperceptible to the perceptibleand from the perceptible to the imperceptible; and if it Was also to expressthe continuous re-distribution of Matter and Motion, then, obviously, itcould be no other than one defining the opposite processes of concentrationand diffusion in terms of Matter and Motion. And if so, it must be a statementof the truth that the concentration of Matter implies the dissipation ofMotion, and that, conversely, the absorption of Motion implies the diffusionof Matter.

Such, in fact, we found to be the law of the entire cycle of changes passedthrough by every existence. Moreover we saw that besides applying to thewhole history of each existence, it applies to each detail of the history.

Both processes are going on at every instant. but always there is a differentialresult in favour of the first or the second. And every change, even thoughit be only a transposition of parts, inevitably advances the one processor the other.

Evolution and Dissolution, as we name these opposite transformations,though thus truly defined in their most general characters, are but incompletelydefined; or rather, while the definition of Dissolution is sufficient, thedefinition of Evolution is extremely insufficient. Evolution is always anintegration of Matter and dissipation of Motion; but it is in nearly allcases much more than this. The primary re-distribution of Matter and Motionis accompanied by secondary re-distributions.

Distinguishing the different kinds of Evolution thus produced as simpleand compound, we went on to consider under what conditions the secondaryre-distributions which make Evolution compound, take place. We found thata concentrating aggregate which loses its contained motion rapidly, or integratesquickly, exhibits only simple Evolution; but in proportion as its largeness,or the peculiar constitution of its components, hinders the dissipation ofits motion, its parts, while undergoing that primary re-distribution whichresults in integration, undergo secondary re-distributions producing moreor less complexity. §187. From this conception of Evolution and Dissolution as togethermaking up the entire process through which things pass; and from this conceptionof Evolution as divided into simple and compound; we went on to considerthe law of Evolution, as exhibited among all orders of existences, in generaland in detail.

The integration of Matter and concomitant dissipation of Motion, was tracednot in each whole only, but in the parts into which each whole divides. Bythe aggregate Solar System, as well as by each planet and satellite, progressiveconcentration has been, and is still being, exemplified. In each organismthat general incorporation of dispersed materials which causes growth, isaccompanied by local incorporations, forming what we call organs. Every society,while it displays the aggregative process by its increasing mass of population,displays it also by the rise of dense masses on special parts of its area.

And in all cases, along with these direct integrations there go the indirectintegrations by which parts are made mutually dependent.

From this primary re-distribution we were led on to consider the secondaryre-distributions, by inquiring how there came to be a formation of partsduring the formation of a whole. It turned out that there is habitually apassage from homogeneity to heterogeneity along with the passage from diffusionto concentration. While the matter composing the Solar System has been assuminga denser form, it has changed from unity to variety of distribution. Solidificationof the Earth has been accompanied by a progress from comparative uniformityto extreme multiformity. In the course of its advance from a germ to a massof relatively great bulk, every plant and animal also advances from simplicityto complexity. The increase of a society in numbers and consolidation hasfor its concomitant an increased heterogeneity both of its political andits industrial organization. And the like holds of all super-organic products-- Language, Science, Art, and Literature.