ABSTRACT
The opinion is generally held that the natural objects which surround us may, in the first place, be divided into two great and quite different groups—the animate and inanimate. The animal kingdom and that of the plants are again divided by systems, agreeing in their main features, into stocks, classes, orders, families, genera, species, and sub-species. For the comprehension of our argument the meaning of the words ‘organism’ and ‘life’ must be examined more closely. The simplest and most general definition which is afforded by modern biologists is as follows : An organism is essentially a whole composed of material and functionally varied parts. Both elements of the signification—manifoldness and unity—are clearly expressed in the word ‘organism.’ An organism is thus a natural body which by virtue of a directive and regulating principle conducts material activities and products of such on a plan and regulates these actively and purposefully to an end which is inherent in the organism itself.
