第 13 节
作者:僻处自说      更新:2024-05-31 15:57      字数:9320
  continually sent thither new blood。               We likewise perceive from this; that
  the true use of respiration is to bring sufficient fresh air into the lungs; to
  cause the blood which flows into them from the right ventricle of the heart;
  where it has been rarefied and; as it were; changed into vapors; to bee
  thick; and to convert it anew into blood; before it flows into the left cavity;
  without which process it would be unfit for the nourishment of the fire that
  is   there。   This   receives   confirmation   from   the   circumstance;   that   it   is
  observed of animals destitute of lungs that they have also but one cavity in
  the heart; and that in   children who cannot use  them while in the  womb;
  there is a hole through which the blood flows from the hollow vein into
  the left   cavity of   the heart;  and   a tube   through which   it passes   from  the
  arterial   vein   into   the  grand   artery  without passing   through   the  lung。           In
  the next place; how could digestion be carried on in the stomach unless the
  heart   municated   heat   to   it   through   the   arteries;   and   along   with   this
  certain of the more fluid parts of the blood; which assist in the dissolution
  of   the   food   that   has   been   taken   in?     Is   not   also   the   operation   which
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  converts   the   juice   of   food   into   blood   easily   prehended;   when   it   is
  considered that it is distilled by  passing   and   repassing   through the   heart
  perhaps more than one or two hundred times in a day?                      And what more
  need be adduced to explain nutrition; and the production of the different
  humors of the body; beyond saying; that the force with which the blood; in
  being rarefied; passes from the heart towards the extremities of the arteries;
  causes certain of its parts to remain in the members at which they arrive;
  and   there   occupy   the   place   of   some   others   expelled   by   them;   and   that
  according   to   the   situation;   shape;   or   smallness   of   the   pores   with   which
  they  meet;  some rather         than   others flow  into certain   parts; in   the same
  way     that  some    sieves   are   observed     to  act;  which;    by   being   variously
  perforated; serve to separate different species of grain?                 And; in the last
  place; what above all is here worthy of observation; is the generation of
  the animal spirits; which are like a very subtle wind; or rather a very pure
  and vivid flame which; continually ascending in great abundance from the
  heart to the brain; thence penetrates through the nerves into the muscles;
  and gives motion to all the members; so that to account for other parts of
  the    blood   which;     as  most    agitated   and    penetrating;    are   the  fittest  to
  pose these spirits; proceeding towards the brain; it is not necessary to
  suppose any other cause; than simply; that the arteries which carry them
  thither proceed from the heart in the most direct lines; and that; according
  to the rules of mechanics which are the same with those of nature; when
  many objects tend at once to the same point where there is not sufficient
  room for all (as is the case with the parts of the blood which flow forth
  from the left cavity of the heart and tend towards the brain); the weaker
  and less agitated parts must necessarily be driven aside from that point by
  the   stronger   which   alone   in   this   way   reach   it   I   had   expounded   all   these
  matters with sufficient minuteness in the treatise which I formerly thought
  of publishing。       And after these; I had shown what must be the fabric of
  the   nerves   and   muscles   of   the   human   body   to   give   the   animal   spirits
  contained   in   it   the   power   to   move   the   members;   as   when   we   see   heads
  shortly   after    they   have   been    struck   off  still  move    and   bite  the   earth;
  although no longer animated; what changes must take place in the brain to
  produce waking; sleep; and dreams; how light; sounds; odors; tastes; heat;
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  and all the other qualities of external objects impress it with different ideas
  by    means     of   the   senses;   how     hunger;    thirst;   and   the   other   internal
  affections     can    likewise    impress     upon    it  divers    ideas;   what    must    be
  understood by the mon sense (sensus munis) in which these ideas
  are received; by the memory which retains them; by the fantasy which can
  change   them  in   various   ways;  and   out   of   them  pose   new   ideas;   and
  which;   by   the   same   means;   distributing   the   animal   spirits   through   the
  muscles;   can   cause   the   members   of   such   a   body   to   move   in   as   many
  different ways; and in a manner as suited; whether to the objects that are
  presented to its senses or to its internal affections; as can take place in our
  own case apart from the guidance of the will。                 Nor will this appear at all
  strange     to  those    who    are   acquainted      with   the   variety   of   movements
  performed   by   the   different   automata;   or   moving   machines   fabricated   by
  human industry; and that with help of but few pieces pared with the
  great multitude of bones; muscles; nerves; arteries; veins; and other parts
  that are found in the body of each animal。                Such persons will look upon
  this body as a machine made by the hands of God; which is inparably
  better arranged; and adequate to movements more admirable than is any
  machine of human invention。              And here I specially stayed to show that;
  were there such machines exactly resembling organs and outward form an
  ape or any other irrational animal; we could   have no means of   knowing
  that they were in any respect of a different nature from these animals; but
  if   there   were   machines   bearing   the   image   of   our   bodies;   and   capable   of
  imitating   our   actions   as   far   as   it   is   morally   possible;   there   would   still
  remain      two   most    certain    tests  whereby      to  know     that   they   were    not
  therefore really men。         Of these the first is that they could never use words
  or other signs arranged in such a manner as is petent to us in order to
  declare our thoughts to others:            for we may easily conceive a machine to
  be   so   constructed   that   it   emits   vocables;   and   even   that   it   emits   some
  correspondent   to   the   action   upon   it   of   external   objects   which   cause   a
  change in its organs; for example; if touched in a particular place it may
  demand what we wish to say to it; if in another it may cry out that it is hurt;
  and     such   like;   but   not   that   it  should    arrange    them    variously     so   as
  appositely  to   reply  to   what   is   said   in its presence;   as   men   of   the   lowest
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  grade of intellect can do。        The second test is; that although such machines
  might execute many things with equal or perhaps greater perfection than
  any of us; they would; without doubt; fail in certain others from which it
  could be discovered that they did not act from knowledge; but solely from
  the    disposition     of   their  organs:      for    while    reason    is  an   universal
  instrument that is alike available on every occasion; these organs; on the
  contrary; need a particular arrangement for each particular action; whence
  it   must   be   morally   impossible   that   there   should   exist   in   any   machine   a
  diversity of organs sufficient to enable it to act in all the occurrences of
  life; in the way in which our reason enables us to act。                 Again; by means
  of these two tests we may likewise know the difference between men and
  brutes。     For it is highly deserving of remark; that there are no men so dull
  and stupid; not even idiots; as to be incapable of joining together different
  words;   and   thereby   constructing   a   declaration   by   which   to   make   their
  thoughts understood; and that on the other hand; there is no other animal;
  however   perfect   or   happily   circumstanced;   which   can   do   the   like。       Nor
  does     this  inability   arise   from    want