Chapter 10

Continuation — Multiplication of polyps

462. When Trembley, in the last century (1740), and other natural scientists began to observe what the ancients had already noted, namely, that hydra and other polyps multiply by the spontaneous formation of buds and by natural and man-made parts, they were beside themselves in wonder, granted the imperfect concept of the positive nature of the soul until that time.

463. In Anthropology(216) I noted that the manner of propagation of polyps does not differ in any way from the common law of generation, a law which is equally wonderful in all animals, whether viviparous, oviparous, gemmiparous, fissiparous or otherwise multipliable. In fact, every act of generation takes place without exception 'through the detachment from the animal of some living part which retains life and becomes a new individual of the same species.'

The differences between the various ways of generation are simply the 'different ways that the part destined to be a separate living being and become a perfect individual of the species detaches itself from the animal,' and also the various conditions necessary for each detached part. These differences however are purely accidental; the same law always remains true, namely, that generation is simply 'the detachment from the animal of a living part which preserves life and is individuated.'

464. The whole question therefore is reduced to knowing 'what conditions are necessary so that a part which detaches itself from the animal, subsequently retains life and individualises'. In my opinion these conditions vary in different animals only relative to accessories and accidents, and can always be reduced to a single condition, to one specifically identical law, which I have explained elsewhere,(217) namely: 'Life is preserved in the living, detached part of an animal in all cases where some kind of composition of all mechanical, physical, chemical, organic and vital forces is verified in the part. These forces continuously preserve the matter of feeling in a state suitable for acting as the term of the specific feeling which constitutes the species of the animal.'
The variable term in this formula is 'the specific feeling which constitutes the species of the animal.' It must be the source of the varieties of animals and hence of the variations we see in the ways of propagation.

465. The essence of what is animal resides in feeling. Consequently the specific and truly philosophical classification of animals must be recognised in the variety of their fundamental feeling.(218)

466. The variety of this feeling is deduced from the extrasubjective phenomena accompanying it. Although these are not its direct effects, they are phenomena collateral to those of feeling and thus signs indicating feeling. Extension however remains identical for both the extrasubjective, material phenomena and the subjective, feeling-based phenomena, as I have said. The feeling is diffused in the space where the corresponding extrasubjective phenomena appear (although the extension is felt in a different way). From this I concluded that the same single force produces feeling by acting in the soul and, by acting on itself (that is, on the matter of feeling), produces extrasubjective phenomena.

467. The fact is that certain living parts, when they detach themselves from animals, sometimes become living animals and sometimes perish. The cause of this difference is, as I have said, the following: in the first instance, the matter of feeling is maintained in its necessary, normal state so that it can be term of that particular animal feeling; in the second instance, the matter loses its normal state. The normal state consists in a suitable organisation, that is, an organisation able to preserve the unity of the feeling.

Notes

(216) 323-349.

(217) AMS, 326-331.

(218) St. Augustine also begins from feeling. He argues that the soul is totally in every part of the sensible body because the sentient principle, which is the whole soul, is present wherever the soul feels. He says of the soul: 'It is not diffused as a mass through local space, but is present in every single body, totally in the whole body, and totally in every part of the body. There is SOMETHING FELT BY THE SOUL IN EVERY TINY PARTICLE OF THE BODY, and although this may not be the case in the body as a whole, the soul FEELS AS A WHOLE because it does not withhold its totality' (De Trinit., 6, 45 [8]).