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THE DYNAMIC ELEMENT IN LIFE 103

Simply that In this direction, as in all other directions,
our explanations finally bring us face to face with the
inexplicable. The Ultimate Reality behind this
manifestation, as behind all other manifestations,
transcends conception."

"Life as a principle of activity is unknown and
unknowable—while its phenomena are accessible in
thought the implied noumenon is inaccessible—only
the manifestations come within the range of our
intelligence, while that which is manifested lies beyond
it."

But " our surface knowledge continues to be a
knowledge valid of its kind, after recognising the
truth that it is only surface knowledge."

The chapter on " The Dynamic Element in Life,"
which concludes the section of the book called The Data
of Biology, was interpolated in the revised edition
(1898). It indicates, as it seems to us, that Spencer's
point of view had changed considerably since he
stereotyped his First Principles. "We must pause to
consider what this change was.

In his First Principles Spencer wrote : " The task
before us is that of exhibiting the phenomena of
Evolution in synthetic order. Setting out from an
established ultimate principle [the Persistence of
Force] it has to be shown that the course of trans-
formation among all kinds of existences cannot but be
that which we have seen it to be." [This refers to
the formula: Evolution is an integration of matter
and concomitant dissipation of motion during which
the matter passes from an indefinite, incoherent
homogeneity to a definite, coherent heterogeneity;
and during which the retained motion undergoes a



	THE DYNAMIC ELEMENT IN LIFE 103 Simply that In this direction, as in all other directions, our explanations finally bring us face to face with the inexplicable. The Ultimate Reality behind this manifestation, as behind all other manifestations, transcends conception." "Life as a principle of activity is unknown and unknowable—while its phenomena are accessible in thought the implied noumenon is inaccessible—only the manifestations come within the range of our intelligence, while that which is manifested lies beyond it." But " our surface knowledge continues to be a knowledge valid of its kind, after recognising the truth that it is only surface knowledge." The chapter on " The Dynamic Element in Life," which concludes the section of the book called The Data of Biology, was interpolated in the revised edition (1898). It indicates, as it seems to us, that Spencer's point of view had changed considerably since he stereotyped his First Principles. "We must pause to consider what this change was. In his First Principles Spencer wrote : " The task before us is that of exhibiting the phenomena of Evolution in synthetic order. Setting out from an established ultimate principle [the Persistence of Force] it has to be shown that the course of trans- formation among all kinds of existences cannot but be that which we have seen it to be." [This refers to the formula: Evolution is an integration of matter and concomitant dissipation of motion during which the matter passes from an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity to a definite, coherent heterogeneity; and during which the retained motion undergoes a