wunder · Library
Elements of Physiophilosophy cover

Elements of Physiophilosophy

by Lorenz Oken

By Lorenz Oken · Science · Public domain

Start reading free → Jump to chapter 1

About this book

Elements of Physiophilosophy is a public-domain classic of science by Lorenz Oken.

The complete text is on this page and the chapter pages below — all 6 chapters, about 211,340 words (~18 hours of reading), free to read online with no signup. Chapters include “Part Ii. Ontology 49”, “Part Iii. Biology 178”, “Part I._ Postulate.”, and more.

Elements of Physiophilosophy at a glance

Author
Lorenz Oken
Length
211,340 words · about 18 hours to read
Chapters
6
Price
Free — public domain

Learn more about science

Short, fact-checked Wunder courses related to Elements of Physiophilosophy — free to read, no signup. Or browse every course.

The Principles of Biology, Volume 1Read Herbert Spencer's ambitious synthesis of matter, metabolism, development, adaptation, and evolution, then test its nineteenth-century mechanisms…20 min courseFood preservation science chemistryFood doesn't spoil on its own — it gets eaten, by microbes and by its own enzymes. This course reveals the single idea behind every preservation…45 min courseFood Chemistry & Culinary ScienceCooking is chemistry you can eat. This course teaches the handful of reactions underneath every dish — how heat moves and why water caps browning…45 min courseBiology EssentialsThe living world explained the way school actually teaches it: cells, DNA, heredity, evolution, body systems, ecosystems, and the unseen microbial…30 min courseEvolutionHow life diversified from a shared ancestor through natural selection.30 min courseSmoke: combustion chemistry and what it depositsThe flavour on bacon is not the fire. It is what failed to burn: phenols, carbonyls, acids — and a few things you did not order.20 min course

Read Elements of Physiophilosophy online — full text

Part Ii. Ontology 49

A. COSMOGENY ib.

a. Rest, Centre, § 209. Motion, Line, Planets, § 215. c. Form, § 231. Planetary System, Comets.

B. STÖCHIOGENY 59

Condensation, § 253. Simple matters, Elements. a. Air § 282. b. Water, § 294. c. Earth, § 303.

C. STÖCHIOLOGY 68

Functions of the Elements. 1. Functions of the Æther, § 317. a. Gravity, § 320. b. Light, § 321. Inflexion, Refraction, Reflexion, Colours, § 354. Colours and Planets, § 379. c. Heat, § 385. 2. Function of the Air, § 410. Electrism. 3. Function of the Water, § 432. Solution. 4. Function of Earth, § 438. Crystallization.

D. KINGDOMS OF NATURE 95

Individuals, § 463.

FIRST KINGDOM--MINERALS 96

I. MINERALOGY, § 474. Division, § 490.

a. Chemical Division 103

b. Genetic Division. Classes 106

Class I. Earth-Earths Earths.

II. Water-Earths Salts.

III. Air-Earths Inflammables.

IV. Fire-Earths Ores.

Table A to face page 120

II. GEOLOGY 121

I. Form of the Planet, § 546. Primary Valleys. II. Organs of the Planet, § 570.

A. Earths 127

a. Earth Formation--Primary Rocks, § 573. Granite, Gneiss, Mica-schist, Lamination, Primary Limestone. b. Water-formation, § 622. Transition-rocks, Sedimentary or Stratified Rocks, Stratified Limestone, Petrifactions or Fossil Remains. c. Air-formation--Trap-rocks, § 681. d. Fire-formation--Volcanic Rocks, § 690.

B. Metallic Ores 148

a. Metallic Veins, § 693. b. Production of Ore, § 698. c. Poison, § 755. d. Magnetism, § 760. e. Earth-magnetism, § 771.

C. Inflammables 166

a. Sulphur, § 801. b. Coal, § 819.

D. Salts 170

a. Salt-periods, § 827. b. Chemism, § 847.

Part Iii. Biology 178

A. ORGANOSOPHY ib.

I. Organogeny. Galvanism, § 867. Primary Organism, § 882.

Creation of the Organic 184

a. Elementary Body--Protoplasma or Primary Mucus, § 898. Change. b. Form--Globe, § 926. Primary Vesicle, § 933. Infusoria, § 935. Theory of Generation, § 943. c. Processes of the Organic. 1. Earth-process--Nutrition, § 964. 2. Water-process--Digestion, § 971. 3. Air-process--Respiration, § 977. 4. Motion, § 984.

II. Organognosy 197

Division of the Organism, § 933, into Planetary and Cosmic Organism. Processes of the Cosmic Organism, § 1014. 1. Process of Gravity, § 1021. 2. Process of Heat, § 1024. 3. Process of Light, § 1027.

SECOND KINGDOM--VEGETABLE KINGDOM 204

I. PHYTOGENY, § 1038.

A. Planetary Organs--Vegetable Trunk 206

I. Tissues, § 1055. 1. Water-organ--Cellular Tissue, § 1056. 2. Earth-organ--Vascular Tissue, § 1062. 3. Air-organ--Tracheal Tissue, § 1065.

II. Anatomical Systems--Sheaths, § 1075. 1. Tracheal System--Wood, § 1077. Vascular System--Liber, § 1080. 3. Cellular System--Bark, § 1084.

III. Organs--Members, § 1086. 1. Water-organ--Root, § 1090. Earth-organ--Stalk, § 1096. 3. Air-organ--Leaves, § 1120.

B. Æther-Organs--Thyrsus or Flower 228

1. Floral Envelopes, § 1187. Involucrum, Calyx, Corolla--Numerical Law, § 1209. Coloration, § 1241. Stamen-filaments, § 1252--Anthers. 2. Pistil, § 1276. Style. 3. Seed, § 1301. 4. Fruit, § 1335. Fruit of the Flowerless Plants, § 1346.

II. PHYTO-PHYSIOLOGY 255

I. Functions of the Trunk. 1. Facts.

A. Constituent Parts. a. Inorganic Bodies--Elements, § 1364. b. Organic Bodies, § 1368.

B. Preliminary Events 259

2. Processes 262

A. Cellular Processes, § 1385. Absorption, Evaporation, Digestion.

B. Vascular Processes, § 1399. Conveyance of Sap, Mixture of Sap, Secretion.

C. Tracheal Processes, § 1411. Inspiration, Nutrition, Oxydation. Galvanic Process--Sap-motion, § 1443.

II. Functions of the Floral Organs 272

1. Function of the Corolla--Fecundation, § 1454. Irritability. 2. Function of the Ovarium, § 1473. 3. Function of the Seed. Germination, § 1476. Growth, § 1481. Fall of the Leaf.

III. PHYTOLOGY 279

Vegetable System, §§ 1508-1754.

Table B opposite to page 316

THIRD KINGDOM--ANIMAL KINGDOM 318

I. ZOOGENY 318

Anatomy 326

I. Tissues 327

1. Point-tissue--Nervous mass, § 1801. 2. Globe-tissue--Osseous mass, § 1825. 3. Line-tissue--Muscular mass, § 1835. 4. Vesicular tissue, § 1846. Integument.

II. Anatomical Systems or Sheaths 338

A. Vegetative 339

1. Intestinal System, § 1878. 2. Cutaneous System, § 1909. Branchiæ, Tracheæ. 3. Vascular System, § 1926. 4. Sexual System, § 1999.

B. Animal Systems 356

1. Nervous System, § 2018. Brain, Senses. 2. Osseous System, § 2079. Vertebral Number, § 2109. 3. Muscular System, § 2118.

III. Organs 378

A. Vegetative 378

1. Intestinal Organs, § 2158. 2. Vascular Organs, § 2194. Branchiæ, Lungs, Liver, Spleen, Kidneys. 3. Respiratory Organs, § 2246. Coverings, Hairs. 4. Sexual Organs, § 2285. Impregnation, § 2315. Urinary Organs, § 2337.

B. Animal Organs 404

1. Osseous Organs--Limbs, § 2370. 2. Muscular Organs, § 2398. 3. Nervous Organs, § 2405--Senses. 1. Vascular Sense--Sense of Feeling, § 2440. 2. Intestinal Sense--Taste, § 2454. 3. Pulmonic Sense--Smell, § 2468. 4. Osseo-Muscular Sense--Hearing, § 2476. 5. Nervous Sense--Vision, § 2488.

II. PHYSIOLOGY 423

A. General Functions 423

B. Special Functions 425

I. Functions of the Tissues, § 2539--Heat.

II. Functions of the Systems 429

A. Of the Vegetal Systems. 1. Digestion, § 2571. Poisoning. 2. Respiration, § 2639. 3. Circulation, § 2655.

B. Functions of the Animal Systems 442

1. Of the Osseous System, § 2672. 2. Of the Muscular System, § 2686. 3. Of the Nervous System, § 2700. Mesmerism, § 2721. Sleep, § 2736. Periodicity, § 2761.

III. Functions of the Organs 455

1. Functions of the Encephalic or Brain-Animal 456

A. Organs of Motion.

B. Organs of Sensation 458

1. Sense of Feeling, § 2786. Sense of Taste, § 2821. Sense of Smell, § 2835. Auditory Sense, § 2849. Speech. Sense of Sight, § 2902.

2. Functions of the Sexual Animal 477

A. Vegetal Sexual Organs--Formation of Urine, § 2934

B. Animal Sexual Organs 480

1. Male Organs, § 2946. 2. Female Parts, § 2952. Mammæ. Development of the Fruit or Foetus, § 2981. Parallelism of the Foetus with the Animal Classes, § 3034. Periods of Life, § 3502.

III. ZOOLOGY 494

A. Division into Provinces 501

B. Division into Circles 502

C. Division into Classes 511

First Province, Somatozoa (Rumpfthiere) Splanchnozoa; 511 including the three Circles of Intestinal, Vascular, and Respiratory Animals, or Protozoa, Conchozoa, and Ancyliozoa; with their contained Classes up to 568

Metamorphosis of Insects, § 3291. Parallelism, § 3299. Relationships, § 3301.

Second Province, Cephalozoa, (Kopfthiere); 544 including the two circles of Sarcose and Sense-Animals; with their contained Classes up to 568

D. Division into Orders and Families 569

Of those included within the Classes of the First Province or Splanchnozoa; with their Tabular Co-arrangement up to 614

Of those comprised by the Classes of the Second Province or Sarcozoa; with their Tabular Co-arrangement up to 653

IV. PSYCHOLOGY 654

A. Spiritual Functions of the Somato- or Dermatozoa 654

B. Spiritual Functions of the Cephalozoa 658

ERRATA AND CORRIGENDA.

Page 4, § 30, read upon the primary proposition of mathematics or the axiom.

5, § 35, for magnitudes read quantities.

8, § 39, for Manifold read Different.

11, § 49, l. 10, for elevating themselves in power, read becoming suppressed. § 50, l. 4, dele the second --.

12, l. 1, for magnitudes read quantities; l. 5, for -- read 0. § 52, for emerged read been evolved out of nothing, or been produced from it by addition; but it is, &c. § 54, for removing read suppressing.

14, § 59, l. 8, for posits itself read itself posits.

16, for presentation read passim, representation.

32, § 134, for Disintegrated read Dissevered.

32, § 137, for never read nowhere.

37, § 161, l. 7, for it read there.

38, § 164, for inventive _read passim throughout

Part I._ Postulate.

39, l. 1, for and the axiom is read the axiom being.

44, § 195, l. 15, for that it may shine read upon which it shines.

50, § 214, last line, for darker read dark.

59, § 253, read heavy and material.

61, § 269, 1 and 2, for caloric read hydrogen, and for hydrogen read carbon.

80, § 388, for nitrogen read hydrogen.

112, l. 6, for Terpentin read Serpentin; l. 7 from bottom, for Calces read Calcareous earths.

124, § 562, for the recent read new.

139, § 633-4, for disintegrations read dispersions.

159, § 761, for metallic read magnetic.

186, § 914, for heat of blood read blood-heat.

209, § 1060, read constantly circulate therein.

213, § 1077, l. 6, for but before read and whereas; l. 7, for have read previously, and dele it has then, and read the appearance is now.

228, § 1161, read has been reproduced after trunk, and dele being.

249, § 1314, for umbilicus read hilum, and for cause read basis.

307, § 1679, instead of stipaceous read hypogynous.

308, § 1687, l. 2, read Stielblumen or Hypogynes.

320, § 1763, after light-æther read from the dead mass, &c.

327, § 1800, for substance, &c., read contents become, &c.

328-9, for Myxozoa read Protozoa, and for Medusæ read Acalephæ here and passim.

330, l. 2, after the word radiating read æther.

332, § 1824, for substance read contents, and § 1827, for substance read mass.

334, § 1837, read upon the middle rate of oxydation.

327, l. 5, transpose the words matter and spirit.

345, § 1928, read elemental matter.

346, § 1931, read at certain points, after each other.

354, § 1992, read through the medium of the gills, the water through that of the intestine, &c.

Continue reading Elements of Physiophilosophy free in the Wunder reader →

Contents — all 6 chapters

More free classics to read

Animal HeroesErnest Thompson SetonLife and Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 2Charles DarwinThe Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to SexCharles DarwinIntroduction to the Compleat AnglerAndrew LangThe Burgess Animal Book for ChildrenThornton W. BurgessThe Movements and Habits of Climbing PlantsCharles DarwinThe Naturalist on the River AmazonsHenry Walter BatesThe Complete Writings of Charles Dudley Warner — Volume 1Charles Dudley Warner

The Wunder Library · Learn anything · Home — complete public-domain books, free to read, with narration and illustrations. Elements of Physiophilosophy is in the public domain.

© 2026 Wunder Learning LLC · Terms & Privacy