“Psychometabolism� ��.pdf

Sir Julian Huxley discusses the role of mind in the evolutionary process, considering it as an operative factor. He notes that biological evolution tends towards producing types that can utilize more of the world's resources efficiently, and that new metabolic systems appear to achieve this. Huxley also touches on the evolution of mind, which is especially marked in dominant animal types, and is mediated by their brains. He regards brains as psychometabolic organs that utilize simple experience and transform it into organized awareness. The problem of the relation between mind and body is addressed, with Huxley concluding that the only primary reality is subjective experience, and that it is legitimate to deduce that other human beings have similar subjective experiences. He also discusses the evolutionary origin of bioelectricity in electric fish, and how it is not unique to them, but rather a consequence of the way living substance is made. Additionally, Huxley mentions Hermann Hesse and whether he used mind-changing drugs, with Professor Kluver stating that to his knowledge, Hesse never took mescaline.