have a tuber here and a tuber there； and I will suck whatsoever
advantage I can from all my surroundings。 This neighbour I will
overshadow； and that I will undermine； and what I can do shall be
the limit of what I will do。 He that is stronger and better placed
than I shall overcome me； and him that is weaker I will overcome。'
〃The potato says these things by doing them； which is the best of
languages。 What is consciousness if this is not consciousness？ We
find it difficult to sympathise with the emotions of a potato； so
we do with those of an oyster。 Neither of these things makes a
noise on being boiled or opened； and noise appeals to us more
strongly than anything else； because we make so much about our own
sufferings。 Since； then； they do not annoy us by any expression of
pain we call them emotionless； and so qua mankind they are； but
mankind is not everybody。
If it be urged that the action of the potato is chemical and
mechanical only； and that it is due to the chemical and mechanical
effects of light and heat； the answer would seem to lie in an
inquiry whether every sensation is not chemical and mechanical in
its operation？ whether those things which we deem most purely
spiritual are anything but disturbances of equilibrium in an
infinite series of levers； beginning with those that are too small
for microscopic detection； and going up to the human arm and the
appliances which it makes use of？ whether there be not a molecular
action of thought； whence a dynamical theory of the passions shall
be deducible？ Whether strictly speaking we should not ask what
kind of levers a man is made of rather than what is his
temperament？ How are they balanced？ How much of such and such
will it take to weigh them down so as to make him do so and so？〃
The writer went on to say that he anticipated a time when it would
be possible； by examining a single hair with a powerful microscope；
to know whether its owner could be insulted with impunity。 He then
became more and more obscure； so that I was obliged to give up all
attempt at translation； neither did I follow the drift of his
argument。 On coming to the next part which I could construe； I
found that he had changed his ground。
〃Either；〃 he proceeds； 〃a great deal of action that has been called
purely mechanical and unconscious must be admitted to contain more
elements of consciousness than has been allowed hitherto （and in
this case germs of consciousness will be found in many actions of
the higher machines）Or （assuming the theory of evolution but at
the same time denying the consciousness of vegetable and
crystalline action） the race of man has descended from things which
had no consciousness at all。 In this case there is no a priori
improbability in the descent of conscious （and more than conscious）
machines from those which now exist； except that which is suggested
by the apparent absence of anything like a reproductive system in
the mechanical kingdom。 This absence however is only apparent； as
I shall presently show。
〃Do not let me be misunderstood as living in fear of any actually
existing machine； there is probably no known machine which is more
than a prototype of future mechanical life。 The present machines
are to the future as the early Saurians to man。 The largest of
them will probably greatly diminish in size。 Some of the lowest
vertebrate attained a much greater bulk than has descended to their
more highly organised living representatives； and in like manner a
diminution in the size of machines has often attended their
development and progress。
〃Take the watch； for example； examine its beautiful structure；
observe the intelligent play of the minute members which compose
it： yet this little creature is but a development of the cumbrous
clocks that preceded it； it is no deterioration from them。 A day
may come when clocks； which certainly at the present time are not
diminishing in bulk； will be superseded owing to the universal use
of watches； in which case they will become as extinct as
ichthyosauri； while the watch； whose tendency has for some years
been to decrease in size rather than the contrary； will remain the
only existing type of an extinct race。
〃But returning to the argument； I would repeat that I fear none of
the existing machines； what I fear is the extraordinary rapidity
with which they are becoming something very different to what they
are at present。 No class of beings have in any time past made so
rapid a movement forward。 Should not that movement be jealously
watched； and checked while we can still check it？ And is it not
necessary for this end to destroy the more advanced of the machines
which are in use at present； though it is admitted that they are in
themselves harmless？
〃As yet the machines receive their impressions through the agency
of man's senses： one travelling machine calls to another in a
shrill accent of alarm and the other instantly retires； but it is
through the ears of the driver that the voice of the one has acted
upon the other。 Had there been no driver； the callee would have
been deaf to the caller。 There was a time when it must have seemed
highly improbable that machines should learn to make their wants
known by sound； even through the ears of man； may we not conceive；
then； that a day will come when those ears will be no longer
needed； and the hearing will be done by the delicacy of the
machine's own construction？when its language shall have been
developed from the cry of animals to a speech as intricate as our
own？
〃It is possible that by that time children will learn the
differential calculusas they learn now to speakfrom their
mothers and nurses； or that they may talk in the hypothetical
language； and work rule of three sums； as soon as they are born；
but this is not probable； we cannot calculate on any corresponding
advance in man's intellectual or physical powers which shall be a
set…off against the far greater development which seems in store
for the machines。 Some people may say that man's moral influence
will suffice to rule them； but I cannot think it will ever be safe
to repose much trust in the moral sense of any machine。
〃Again； might not the glory of the machines consist in their being
without this same boasted gift of language？ 'Silence；' it has been
said by one writer； 'is a virtue which renders us agreeable to our
fellow…creatures。'〃
CHAPTER XXIV： THE MACHINEScontinued
〃But other questions come upon us。 What is a man's eye but a
machine for the little creature that sits behind in his brain to
look through？ A dead eye is nearly as good as a living one for
some time after the man is dead。 It is not the eye that cannot
see； but the restless one that cannot see through it。 Is it man's
eyes； or is it the big seeing…engine which has revealed to us the
existence of worlds beyond worlds into infinity？ What has made man
familiar with the scenery of the moon； the spots on the sun； or the
geography of the planets？ He is at the mercy of the seeing…engine
for these things； and is powerless unless he tack it on to his own
identity； and make it part and parcel of himself。 Or； again； is it
the eye； or the little see…engine； which has shown us the existence
of infinitely minute organisms which swarm unsuspected around us？
〃And take man's vaunted power of calculation。 Have we not engines
which can do all manner of sums more quickly and correctly than we
can？ What prizeman in Hypothetics at any of our Colleges of
Unreason can compare with some of these machines in their own line？
In fact； wherever precision is required man flies to the machine at
once； as far preferable to himself。 Our sum…engines never drop a
figure； nor our looms a stitch； the machine is brisk and active；
when the man is weary； it is clear…headed and collected； when the
man is stupid and dull； it needs no slumber； when man must sleep or
drop； ever at its post； ever ready for work； its alacrity never
flags； its patience never gives in； its might is stronger than
combined hundreds； and swifter than the flight of birds； it can
burrow beneath the earth； and walk upon the largest rivers and sink
not。 This is the green tree； what then shall be done in the dry？
〃Who shall say that a man does see or hear？ He is such a hive and
swarm of parasites that it is doubtful whether his body is not more
theirs than his； and whether he is anything but another kind of
ant…heap after all。 May not man himself become a sort of parasite
upon the machines？ An affectionate machine…tickling aphid？
〃It is said by some that our blood is composed of infinite living
agents which go up and down the highways and byways of our bodies
as people in the streets of a city。 When we look down from a high
place upon crowded thoroughfares； is it possible not to think of
corpuscles of blood travelling through veins and nourishing the
heart of the town？ No mention shall be made of sewers； nor of the
hidden nerves which serve to communicate sensations from one part
of the town's body to another； nor of the yawning jaws of the
railway stations； whereby the circulation is carried directly into
the heart；which receive the venous lines； and disgorge the
arterial； with an eternal pulse of people。 And the sleep of the
town； how life…like！ with its change in the circulation。〃
Here the writer became again so hopelessly obscure that I was
obliged to miss several pages。 He resumed：…
〃It can be answered that even though machines should hear never so
well and speak never so wisely； they will still always do the one
or the other for our advantage； not their own； that man will be the
ruling spirit and the machine the servant； that as soon as a
machine fails to discharge the service which man expects from it；
it is doomed to extinction； that the machines stand to man simply
in the relation of lower animals； the vapour…engine itself being
only a more economical kind of horse； so that instead of being
likely to be developed into a higher kind of life than man's； they
owe their very existence and progress to their power of ministering
to human wants； and must therefore both now and ever be man's
inferiors。
〃This