objections to his theory as they might be put by a rigid
necessitarian, and a refutation of that interpretation as applied to
human action.

But in the second chapter Butler states his recession from the strong
logical position he had hitherto developed in his writings from
"Erewhon" onwards; so far he had not only distinguished the living
from the non-living, but distinguished among the latter MACHINES or
TOOLS from THINGS AT LARGE. {0c} Machines or tools are the external
organs of living beings, as organs are their internal machines: they
are fashioned, assembled, or selected by the beings for a purposes so
they have a FUTURE PURPOSE, as well as a PAST HISTORY. "Things at
large" have a past history, but no purpose (so long as some being
does not convert them into tools and give them a purpose): Machines
have a Why? as well as a How?: "things at large" have a How? only.

In "Unconscious Memory" the allurements of unitary or monistic views
have gained the upper hand, and Butler writes (p. 23):-


"The only thing of which I am sure is, that the distinction between
the organic and inorganic is arbitrary; that it is more coherent with
our other ideas, and therefore more acceptable, to start with every
molecule as a living thing, and then deduce death as the breaking up
of an association or corporation, than to start with inanimate
molecules and smuggle life into them; and that, therefore, what we
call the inorganic world must be regarded as up to a certain point
living, and instinct, within certain limits, with consciousness,
volition, and power of concerted action. IT IS ONLY OF LATE,
HOWEVER, THAT I HAVE COME TO THIS OPINION."