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The fundamental instincts of all living matter are self…preservation and the propagation of the species。 The instinct for self…preservation causes a plant to turn away from cold and damaging winds toward the life…giving sun； the inert mussel to withdraw within its shell； the insect to take flight； the animal to fight or to flee； and man to procure food that he may oppose starvation； to shelter himself and to provide clothes that he may avoid the dangers of excessive cold and heat； to combat death from disease by seeking medical aid； to avoid destruction by man or brute by fight or by flight。 The instinct to propagate the species leads brute man by crude methods； and cultured man by methods more refined； to put out of his way sex rivals so that his own life may be continued through offspring。 The life of the species is further assured by the protective action exercised over the young by the adults of the species。 As soon as the youngest offspring is able successfully to carry on his own struggle with environment there is no longer need for the parent； and the parent enters therefore the stage of disintegration。 The average length of life in any species is the sum of the years of immaturity； plus the years of female fertility； plus the adolescent years of the offspring。
The stimuli resulting from these two dominant instincts are now so overpowering as compared with all other environmental stimuli that the mere possession of adequate knowledge of the damaging effects of certain actions as compared with the saving effects of others will （other things being equal） lead the individual to choose the right； the self… and species…preservative course of action； instead of the wrong； the self… and species…destructive course of action。
The dissemination of the knowledge of the far…reaching deleterious effects of protracted emotional strain； of overwork； and of worry will automatically raise man's threshold to the damaging activating stimuli causing the strong emotions； and will cause him to avoid dangerous strains of every kind。 The individual thus protected will therefore rise to a plane of poise and efficiency far above that of his uncontrolled fellows； and by so much will his efficiency； health； and happiness be augmented。
A full acceptance of this theory cannot fail to produce in those in whose charge rests the welfare of the young； an overwhelming desire to surround children with those environmental stimuli only which will tend to their highest ultimate welfare。
Such is the stimulating force of tradition that many who have been educated under the tenets of traditional beliefs will oppose these hypotheseseven violently； it may be。 So they have opposed them； so they opposed Darwin； so they have opposed all new and apparently revolutionary doctrines。 Yet these persons themselves are by their very actions proving the efficiency of the vital principles which we have enunciated。 What is the whole social welfare movement but a recognition on the part of municipalities； educational boards； and religious organizations of the fact that the future welfare of the race depends upon the administration to the young of forceful uplifting environmental stimuli？
There are now； as there were in Darwin's day； many who feel that man is degraded from his high estate by the conception that he is not a reasoning； willing being； the result of a special creation。 But one may wonder indeed what conception of the origin of man can be more wonderful or more inspiring than the belief that he has been slowly evolved through the ages； and that all creatures have had a part in his development； that each form of life has contributed and is contributing still to his present welfare and to his future advancement。
Recapitulation
Psychology；the science of the human soul and its relations； under the mechanistic theory of life； must receive a new definition。 It becomes a science of man's activities as determined by the environmental stimuli of his phylogeny and of his ontogeny。
On this basis we postulate that throughout the history of the race nothing has been lost； but that every experience of the race and of the individual has been retained for the guidance of the individual and of the race； that for the accomplishment of this end there has been evolved through the ages a nerve mechanism of such infinite delicacy and precision that in some unknown manner it can register permanently within itself every impression received in the phylogenetic and ontogenetic experience of the individual； that each of these nerve mechanisms or brain patterns has its own connection with the external world； and that each is attuned to receive impressions of but one kind； as in the apparatus of wireless telegraphy each instrument can receive and interpret waves of a certain rate of intensity only； that thought； will； ego； personality； perception； imagination； reason； emotion； choice； memory； are to be interpreted in terms of these brain patterns； that these so…called phenomena of human life depend upon the stimuli which can secure the final common path； this in turn having been determined by the frequency and the strength of the environmental stimuli of the past and of the present。
Finally； as for life's origin and life's ultimate end； we are content to say that they are unknown； perhaps unknowable。 We know only that living matter； like lifeless matter； has its own place in the cosmic processes； that the gigantic forces which operated to produce a world upon which life could exist； as a logical sequence； when the time was ripe； evolved life； and finally that these cosmic forces are still active； though none can tell what worlds and what races may be the result of their coming activities。
A MECHANISTIC THEORY OF DISEASE＇*＇
＇*＇ Oration in Surgery。 Delivered at the 147th Annual Meeting of the Medical Society of New Jersey； at Spring Lake； N。 J。； June 11； 1913。
In this address the paragraphs which were taken from the preceding paper； 〃A Mechanistic View of Psychology；〃 have been omitted； those portions only being republished in which the premises have been applied in a discussion of certain medical problems rather than of psychological problems。
The human body is an elaborate mechanism equipped first for such conflict with environment as will tend to the preservation of the individual； and second for the propagation of the species； both of these functions； when most efficiently carried out； tending to the upbuilding and perfection of the race。 From the date of Harvey's discovery of the circulation of the blood； to the present day； the human body has been constantly compared to a machine； but the time for analogy and comparison is past。 I postulate that the body is itself a mechanism responding in every part to the adequate stimuli given it from without by the environment of the present and from within by the environment of the past； the memory of which is stored in the central battery of the mechanism the brain。 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
If the full history of the species and of the individual could be known in every detail； then every detail of that individual's conduct in h