登陆注册
5199900000002

第2章

But it is equally impossible also that either of these two affections should perpetually attach itself to the same animal, e.g.

that some species of animal should be always asleep or always awake, without intermission; for all organs which have a natural function must lose power when they work beyond the natural time-limit of their working period; for instance, the eyes [must lose power] from [too long continued] seeing, and must give it up; and so it is with the hand and every other member which has a function.Now, if sense-perception is the function of a special organ, this also, if it continues perceiving beyond the appointed time-limit of its continuous working period, will lose its power, and will do its work no longer.Accordingly, if the waking period is determined by this fact, that in it sense-perception is free; if in the case of some contraries one of the two must be present, while in the case of others this is not necessary; if waking is the contrary of sleeping, and one of these two must be present to every animal: it must follow that the state of sleeping is necessary.Finally, if such affection is Sleep, and this is a state of powerlessness arising from excess of waking, and excess of waking is in its origin sometimes morbid, sometimes not, so that the powerlessness or dissolution of activity will be so or not; it is inevitable that every creature which wakes must also be capable of sleeping, since it is impossible that it should continue actualizing its powers perpetually.

So, also, it is impossible for any animal to continue always sleeping.For sleep is an affection of the organ of sense-perception--a sort of tie or inhibition of function imposed on it, so that every creature that sleeps must needs have the organ of sense-perception.Now, that alone which is capable of sense-perception in actuality has the faculty of sense-perception; but to realize this faculty, in the proper and unqualified sense, is impossible while one is asleep.All sleep, therefore, must be susceptible of awakening.

Accordingly, almost all other animals are clearly observed to partake in sleep, whether they are aquatic, aerial, or terrestrial, since fishes of all kinds, and molluscs, as well as all others which have eyes, have been seen sleeping.'Hard-eyed' creatures and insects manifestly assume the posture of sleep; but the sleep of all such creatures is of brief duration, so that often it might well baffle one's observation to decide whether they sleep or not.Of testaceous animals, on the contrary, no direct sensible evidence is as yet forthcoming to determine whether they sleep, but if the above reasoning be convincing to any one, he who follows it will admit this [viz.that they do so.]

That, therefore, all animals sleep may be gathered from these considerations.For an animal is defined as such by its possessing sense-perception; and we assert that sleep is, in a certain way, an inhibition of function, or, as it were, a tie, imposed on sense-perception, while its loosening or remission constitutes the being awake.But no plant can partake in either of these affections, for without sense-perception there is neither sleeping nor waking.But creatures which have sense-perception have likewise the feeling of pain and pleasure, while those which have these have appetite as well;but plants have none of these affections.A mark of this is that the nutrient part does its own work better when (the animal) is asleep than when it is awake.Nutrition and growth are then especially promoted, a fact which implies that creatures do not need sense-perception to assist these processes.

同类推荐
  • 书法辑要

    书法辑要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 北江诗话

    北江诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说甚希有经

    佛说甚希有经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 胎产秘书

    胎产秘书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 家塾教学法

    家塾教学法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 嗜血魔王狂宠丑妃

    嗜血魔王狂宠丑妃

    啸月,22世纪的异能杀手之王,在一场任务中死亡,当她一朝穿越,身世成迷,从小自力更生,天生神魔体,丹药毒丸信手拈来,且看她如何掀起大陆风云,携手魔王纵横四海八荒
  • 快穿系统:病娇男神太病娇

    快穿系统:病娇男神太病娇

    【双洁1v1】【全文免费】【男主是同一个】【女主双人格,后期为鹿朝】各式各样系统带你飞,带你打脸啪啪啪徒儿阮墨:师傅师傅,你不是说了喜欢我吗?那你就得……永远在我身边哦~暮离渊:既然要死,那便一起死,既然不能在一起,那便一起死……班长大人:我的媳妇儿我宠着~谁都别想对我媳妇儿起歪心思,小心剜了你的眼睛~黑化哥哥:怎么?又不听话?那就接受惩罚吧……孤若酒拖着下巴,敲着桌子,男神们需要她,她的男神也还在远方等着她来到他身旁你最终还是会回到我身旁的。
  • 海峡两岸网络原创文学大赛入围作品选(11)散文随笔

    海峡两岸网络原创文学大赛入围作品选(11)散文随笔

    本系列图书精选“海峡两岸网络原创文学大赛”入围作品,分类结集成书。本书为第11册,收录第一届大赛10篇散文游记。包括《生活导演的一次“巧合”》《父亲的故事》《姐姐》《又一年》《离之魅》《回首又见它》《难忘那些美好的时光》等长篇叙事散文,以及抒情散文《兵团的土地,新疆的水》。
  • 大武侠速成系统

    大武侠速成系统

    林逍遥开启大武侠速成系统,升级夺宝泡妞不用愁!看他如何游戏江湖,快意恩仇,成就天下第一武侠!
  • 大师求放过

    大师求放过

    请看我的挑刺表演,喜欢请给我点赞!李旺自从得到了点赞系统,为了兑换、升级,他开启了挑(作)刺(死)的历程,越走越远,步入星空。
  • 仙武至尊

    仙武至尊

    少年罗成偶得了神秘传承“太虚经”,自此踏上了武道巅峰之路……
  • 快穿之反派又作妖了

    快穿之反派又作妖了

    [1vs1双洁]君妖月本来好好的当着她的郡主殿下,莫名其妙被系统报给绑定就算了,怎么每个世界的攻略对象都动不动就挨她这么近。绝世妖姬把她抵在墙上,邪邪一笑:“殿下,对我这么好,莫非是因为喜欢我?”看似纯白的少年紧紧的抱住她:“软软你千万不要离开我...”病娇徒弟更甚,还妄图囚禁他。“好,永远不离开。”攻略对象的要求肯定是答应啊,万一黑化了好感度怎么办。
  • 倒霉新妻之老公要抱抱

    倒霉新妻之老公要抱抱

    欧小灵每天都过着提心吊胆的生活,因为她霉运缠身。思来想去,她只好去庙里拜拜,算算。据说今天她会遇到她的真命天子。然后霉运减少,真的是这样吗?为什么她觉得她还是如此倒霉呢?
  • 世界军事百科之军事领袖

    世界军事百科之军事领袖

    军事是一个国家和民族强大和稳定的象征,在国家生活中具有举足轻重的作用。国家兴亡,匹夫有责,全面而系统地掌握军事知识,是我们每一个人光荣的责任和义务,也是我们进行国防教育的主要内容。
  • 刘备发迹史

    刘备发迹史

    三国是个战国纷飞,群雄并起的时代,就像《三国演义》片尾曲中所唱“黯淡了刀光剑影,远去了鼓角铮鸣”,可是时空变化,岁月流逝,那一串串熟悉的姓名却不曾被带走,那些在历史的天地中纵横驰骋的鲜活面孔,跨越前年,依然在眼前飞扬,在我们心中永恒……谨以《刘备发迹史》献给不向命运屈服的英雄刘备,向非一般的刘玄德致敬!