sensation, the brain, motor nerves, and skeletal muscles — is for the most part subservient to man. The eyes, ears, the binding parts of the skin, the nerve endings in the nose and the tongue, and the pain and temperature receptors react to external stimulation, turn it into electrical impulses (just like the mechanism for information input in a computer), while the brain and the spinal column analyze and combine the impulses according to the 'stimulation — braking' principle (similar to the impulse cells of a machine). The synapses join and separate, sending commands to the skeletal muscles, which perform various actions — just like the executive mechanisms of a machine.
“Man controls the operative side of his organisms — he can even master reflexes, like pain, by will power. But with the basic side, which takes care of the fundamental process of life — metabolism — it isn't like that. That lungs suck in air; the heart forces blood into the dark crannies of the body; the gullet contracts and pushes pieces of food into the stomach; the pancreas secretes hormones and enzymes to reduce food to elements that the intestines can absorb; the liver excretes glucose into the blood. The thyroid and parathyroid produce wild things, thyroxin and parathyreodine, which determine whether a person will grow and mature or remain a cretinous dwarf, whether he will develop a sturdy skeletal system or whether his bones can be bent like pretzels. An inconsequential — looking growth by the base of the brain — the pituitary body — with the help of its secretions commands the entire mysterious kitchen of internal secretions as well as the functioning of the kidneys, blood pressure, and safe delivery in childbirth. And this part of the organism, which constructs man — his build, skull shape, psychology, health, and power — this part is not subject to the conscious mind!”
“Correct,” smiled Vano Aleksandrovich. “In your operative side I easily recognize the activity of the 'animal' or somatic nervous system and in the basic one, the realm of the 'vegetative' or sympathetic nervous system. These terms appeared in the eighteenth century; they used the Latin for animal and for plant. Personally, I don't think they're very apt. Perhaps your engineering terms will have greater success in the twentieth century. Well, continue, please.”
“Machines, even electronic ones, are constructed and made by man. Soon the machines will do it themselves; the principle is clear. But why can't man construct himself? Metabolism is subordinate to the central nervous system. The glands, blood vessels, and intestines are connected to the brain by the same kind of nerves as the muscles and sensory organs are. Why can't man control these processes the way he can wiggle his fingers? Why is man's conscious participation in this process limited to satisfying his appetite and thirst and several opposite needs? It's ridiculous. Homo sapiens, the king of nature, the crown of evolution, the creator of complex technology and art, is distinguished in the basic life process from cows and earthworms only in the use of knives and forks and alcohol!”
“Why is it so important to be able to bring sugar, enzymes, and hormones into the blood through will power?” Androsiashvili's bushy eyebrows arched. “Please be so kind as to tell me why, on top of all my worries in the department, I have to also think every hour about how much adrenaline and insulin I should produce in the pancreas and where I should direct it? The sympathetic system takes care of it for me, without bothering man — and that's fine!”
“Is it fine, Vano Aleksandrovich? What about disease?”
“Disease… so that's your angle: disease as an error in the workings of the basic construction system.” The professor's eyebrows turned into sinusoids. “The mistakes that we try to rectify with pills, compresses, vaccinations, and other operative interference, and usually without much success. But… disease is the result of those effects of the environment that the organism can't handle.”
“And why can't it? After all, we know in most cases what is harmful — that's the basis of disease prevention, epidemic control. We try, simply, to keep away from danger. But the environment keeps spewing out new mysteries: X — ray radiation, welding arcs, isotopes — “
“Enough!” The professor raised both hands in surrender. “I have the feeling that you have a secret answer on the tip of your tongue and you just can't wait for your interlocutor to bulge his eyes and ask with timid hope: 'But why? All right! Look: my eyes are open wide.” The whites of his eyes, shot with red, sparkled. “And I am asking the long — awaited question. Why can't people control their metabolism?”
“Because they've forgotten how it's done!” Krivoshein thundered.
“Bah!” the professor slapped his knee in glee. “They used to know and forgot? Like a phone number? Interesting!”
“Let's remember that the human brain contains a huge number of unactivated cells: ninety — nine percent, and in some, ninety — nine point something. It's unlikely that they exist just like that, for a backup reserve; nature doesn't allow excess. It's only natural to posit that those cells contained information that is now lost. Not necessarily verbal information — there is little of that in our organisms now because it's too crude and approximate — but biological information, expressed in images, feelings, sensations — “
“Stop! I know the rest!” Androsiashvili shouted exultantly. “Martians! No, better than Martians. After all, they're going to get to Mars sooner or later, and then it could be checked. Let's say inhabitants of a planet that used to exist somewhere between Mars and Jupiter that has since disintegrated into asteroids. Highly intelligent creatures lived there. They had an artificial, varied environment, and they knew how to control their organisms to adapt to the environment and also for fun. And these inhabitants, sensing that their planet was about to die, moved to Earth.”
“Perhaps it was that way,” Krivoshein agreed calmly. “In any case, we must assume that man had highly organized ancestors wherever they came from. And they went wild, finding themselves in a wild, primitive environment with harsh living conditions — in the Cenozoic Era. Heat, jungles, swamps, animals — and no conveniences. Life was reduced to the struggle for survival and all their refinements were wasted. Then over many generations it was all lost, from literacy to the ability to control metabolism. Really, Vano Aleksandrovich, put a city dweller in the jungle now, and see what happens to him!”
“Very effective!” Androsiashvili smacked his lips in pleasure. “And the excess brain cells remained in the organism along with the appendix and hairy underarms? Now I understand why my dear colleague Professor Valerno calls science fiction 'intellectual decadence. “
“Why? And what does that have to do with this?”
“Because it replaces sober discussion with effective games of the imagination.”
“Well, you know,” Krivoshein countered, getting angry, “in systemology we don't put down working hypotheses with references to the ban mots of friends. Any idea is usable if it is profitable.”
“And in biology, comrade graduate student,” Androsiashvili shouted, rolling his eyes, “we only use ideas that are based on a sober, materialistic approach! And not on the ruins of a fantasy planet! We deal with something more important than technology — we deal with life! And since you are now working in our field, I suggest you remember that! Any dilettante comes along. and, phahh!” He immediately cooled off and changed to a peaceful tone. “All right. Let's make believe that each of us has smashed a plate. Now back to the serious things: why is your hypothesis, to put it mildly, dubious? First of all, the 'unactivated' brain cell — technological terminology is not applicable to biological concepts. The cells are alive — therefore they are already activated. Secondly, why not assume that these billions of cells are there as a reserve?”
Vano Aleksandrovich got up and looked down at Krivoshein.
“My dear comrade graduate student, I do have a little knowledge of technology — after all, I am an evening student at MEI! — and I know that you, hmm, in systemology, you have the concept and problem of reliability. The reliability of electronic systems is guaranteed by a reserve of parts, cells, and even units. Then why not assume that nature has created in man the same kind of reserve for reliability in the brain? After all, nerve cells do not regenerate.”
“It's an awfully big reserve!” The graduate student shook his head. “The average man uses a million cells out of a possible billion.”
“And talented people use tens of millions! And geniuses. actually, no one's measured their cells yet — maybe they use hundreds of millions. Perhaps the brain of each of us is reserved for genius potential? I tend to feel that genius and not mediocrity is man's natural state.”
“Very effectively put, Vano Aleksandrovich.”
“I see you are a cruel man. but, think what you will, my reservations have as much value as your hypothesis about Martians gone wild. Hah, and if you take into account the fact that I am your advisor and you are my student, then they are even more valuable!” He sat down. “But let's get back to the major issue: why is present — day man incapable of controlling the autonomous nervous system and metabolism? You know why? Because it hasn't come to that yet.”
