1006. The solar-organism is, in accordance with its import, void of connexion with the earth; like a planet it revolves freely about the earth, and everywhere receives its image or likeness in the influence of all four elements.
1007. The organism, which, free from the earth, has originated in water, or properly speaking, in the transparency, is animal.
1008. The vegetable and animal are the only organic, kingdoms. In both, nature has exhausted herself, and has in the last kingdom, as in a mirror, been wholly reflected. They are together planet and sun, or thus solar system. But since the animal comprehends all elements in itself, so it contains also the plant, and is therefore for itself vegetable and animal kingdom, or the whole solar-system.
1009. The plant hath no free system of motion, because motion is wanting to it; bound to the elements, by these it is determined. The element of motion, the æther, lies apart from it. It has only motion, if and while the elements act upon, or solicit it, thereunto.
1010. It moves itself only by an external or foreign stimulus. If no foreign stimulus be present, it does not move itself. A root grows, moves itself towards one spot, not because it there seeks for moisture, but because it is affected by the moisture which is there found. Were the moisture not to act upon it, it would wither.
1011. The animal has independent motion. For it has indeed taken up the centre, the earth-and the light-system which is the principle of motion, into itself.
1012. Thus the animal moves itself independently of external stimuli. The animal can move itself from want of stimulus. It moves itself to seek for, and thus from want of, nourishment, which consequently does not act upon it; the plant cannot, however, move itself owing to want of food, but only die.
1013. This is the essential and only conclusive distinction between animal and plant. All others that have been advanced are not sufficient.
Processes of the Cosmic Organism.
ÆTHER PROCESSES.