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第2章

on sleep and sleeplessness-第2章

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promoted; a fact which implies that creatures do not need



sense…perception to assist these processes。







                                 2







  We must now proceed to inquire into the cause why one sleeps and



wakes; and into the particular nature of the sense…perception; or



sense…perceptions; if there be several; on which these affections



depend。 Since; then; some animals possess all the modes of



sense…perception; and some not all; not; for example; sight; while all



possess touch and taste; except such animals as are imperfectly



developed; a class of which we have already treated in our work on the



soul; and since an animal when asleep is unable to exercise; in the



simple sense any particular sensory faculty whatever; it follows



that in the state called sleep the same affection must extend to all



the special senses; because; if it attaches itself to one of them



but not to another; then an animal while asleep may perceive with



the latter; but this is impossible。



  Now; since every sense has something peculiar; and also something



common; peculiar; as; e。g。 seeing is to the sense of sight; hearing to



the auditory sense; and so on with the other senses severally; while



all are accompanied by a common power; in virtue whereof a person



perceives that he sees or hears (for; assuredly; it is not by the



special sense of sight that one sees that he sees; and it is not by



mere taste; or sight; or both together that one discerns; and has



the faculty of discerning; that sweet things are different from



white things; but by a faculty connected in common with all the organs



of sense; for there is one sensory function; and the controlling



sensory faculty is one; though differing as a faculty of perception in



relation to each genus of sensibles; e。g。 sound or colour); and



since this 'common sensory activity' subsists in association chiefly



with the faculty of touch (for this can exist apart from all the other



organs of sense; but none of them can exist apart from it…a subject of



which we have treated in our speculations concerning the Soul); it



is therefore evident that waking and sleeping are an affection of this



'common and controlling organ of sense…perception'。 This explains



why they belong to all animals; for touch 'with which this common



organ is chiefly connected'; alone; 'is common' to all 'animals'。



  For if sleeping were caused by the special senses having each and



all undergone some affection; it would be strange that these senses;



for which it is neither necessary nor in a manner possible to



realize their powers simultaneously; should necessarily all go idle



and become motionless simultaneously。 For the contrary experience;



viz。 that they should not go to rest altogether; would have been



more reasonably anticipated。 But; according to the explanation just



given; all is quite clear regarding those also。 For; when the sense



organ which controls all the others; and to which all the others are



tributary; has been in some way affected; that these others should



be all affected at the same time is inevitable; whereas; if one of the



tributaries becomes powerless; that the controlling organ should



also become powerless need in no wise follow。



  It is indeed evident from many considerations that sleep does not



consist in the mere fact that the special senses do not function or



that one does not employ them; and that it does not consist merely



in an inability to exercise the sense…perceptions; for such is what



happens in cases of swooning。 A swoon means just such impotence of



perception; and certain other cases of unconsciousness also are of



this nature。 Moreover; persons who have the bloodvessels in the neck



compressed become insensible。 But sleep supervenes when such



incapacity of exercise has neither arisen in some casual organ of



sense; nor from some chance cause; but when; as has been just



stated; it has its seat in the primary organ with which one



perceives objects in general。 For when this has become powerless all



the other sensory organs also must lack power to perceive; but when



one of them has become powerless; it is not necessary for this also to



lose its power。



  We must next state the cause to which it is due; and its quality



as an affection。 Now; since there are several types of cause (for we



assign equally the 'final'; the 'efficient'; the 'material'; and the



'formal' as causes); in the first place; then; as we assert that



Nature operates for the sake of an end; and that this end is a good;



and that to every creature which is endowed by nature with the power



to move; but cannot with pleasure to itself move always and



continuously; rest is necessary and beneficial; and since; taught by



experience; men apply to sleep this metaphorical term; calling it a



'rest' 'from the strain of movement implied in sense…perception': we



conclude that its end is the conservation of animals。 But the waking



state is for an animal its highest end; since the exercise of



sense…perception or of thought is the highest end for all beings to



which either of these appertains; inasmuch as these are best; and



the highest end is what is best: whence it follows that sleep



belongs of necessity to each animal。 I use the term 'necessity' in its



conditional sense; meaning that if an animal is to exist and have



its own proper nature; it must have certain endowments; and; if



these are to belong to it; certain others likewise must belong to it



'as their condition。'



  The next question to be discussed is that of the kind of movement or



action; taking place within their bodies; from which the affection



of waking or sleeping arises in animals。 Now; we must assume that



the causes of this affection in all other animals are identical



with; or analogous to; those which operate in sanguineous animals; and



that the causes operating in sanguineous animals generally are



identical with those operating in man。 Hence we must consider the



entire subject in the light of these instances 'afforded by



sanguineous animals; especially man'。 Now; it has been definitely



settled already in another work that sense…perception in animals



originates ill the same part of the organism in which movement



originates。 This locus of origination is one of three determinate



loci; viz。 that which lies midway between the head and the abdomen。



This is sanguineous animals is the region of the heart; for all



sanguineous animals have a heart; and from this it is that both motion



and the controlling sense…perception originate。 Now; as regards



movement; it is obvious that that of breathing and of the cooling



process generally takes its rise there; and it is with a view to the



conservation of the 'due amount of' heat in this part that nature



has formed as she has both the animals which respire; and those



which cool themselves by moisture。 Of this 'cooling process' per se we



shall treat hereafter。 In bloodless animals; and insects; and such



as do not respire; the 'connatural spirit' is seen alternately



puffed up and subsiding in the part which is in them analogous 'to the



region of the heart in sanguineous animals'。 This is clearly



observable in the holoptera 'insects with undivided wings' as wasps



and bees; also in flies and such creatures。 And since to move



anything; or do anything; is impossible without strength; and



holding the breath produces strength…in creatures which inhale; the



holding of that breath which comes from without; but; in creatures



which do not respire; of that which is connatural (which explains




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