Progress, Its Law and Cause

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Every child has made the attempt to hold the foot still while it is tickled. And has failed; and probably there is scarcely any one who has not vainly tried to avoid wink ing when a hand has been suddenly passed before the eyes. These examples of museu lar movements which occur independently of the will. Or in spite of it, illustrate what physiologists call reflex action; as likewise do sneezing and coughing. To this class of cases, in which involuntary motions are ao companied by sensations, has to be added another class of cases, in which involuntary motions are unaccompanied by sensations: instance the pulsations of the heart; the contractions of the stomach during digestion. Further, the great mass of seemingly volun~ tary acts in such creatures as insects, worms, For numerous illustrations see essay on The Origin and Function of Music.