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past forms - in Sheldrake’s phrase ‘the forms of past systems influence all subsequent similar systems’. This does not mean that there are not differences in detail between past and pres- ent similar forms, but there is a process of averaging, with those features that most past forms have in common being reinforced. Receptivity to specific morphic frequencies de- pends on the system or organism’s internal structure and organisation, As time goes on the cumulative influence of previous systems confers increasing stability on the morphogenetic field and the more likely it is to be repeated in the future. There is a pathway of morphogenesis (the coming into being of characteristic and specific forms) that is created and strength- ened by succeeding generations. Karma Formative Sheldrake contrasts his theory of formative causation with what he calls the ‘conventional’ theory. This is the mecha- nistic, materialist view that all life forms are solely dictated by their genetic and chemical structures. The hypothesis of for- mative causation regards the formsas the causes of subsequent similar forms. “However, this is not a metaphysical but a physical propo- sition, and is capable of being tested experimentally. “Tf this hypothesis is supported by experimental evidence, then not only might it allow the various matter fields of quantum field theory to be interpreted in terms of morphogen- etic fields, but it could also lead towards a new understanding of other physical fields.” (p. 118) The hypothesis can be summarised in the following way: All material ‘units like atoms, molecules, crystals, organs and organisms\are given their form and internal structure through ronep ial fields called morphogenetic fields. Each kind of morphic\unit (i.e. material unit) has its own character- istic morphogenetic field. In the morphogenesis of a particu- lar unit all past members of its particular type or species are causally linked to all present members. “_.Organisms of the same variety or race will resemble each other not only because they are genetically similar and subject to similar genetic influences during morphogenesis, butalso because their characteristics are reinforced and stabil- ised by morphic resonance from past organisms of the same variety.” (p. 130) Characteristic forms are determined by similar previous forms which act across time and space by a process called morphic resonance acting through the morpho- genetic field. Sheldrake isn’t suggesting that the causative role of mor- phogenetic fields is conscious design, but emphasising thatnot all events are explained by purely physical fields. The effect formative causation has on the probability of a given creature or object having a given structure is that it determines only the most widespread features of its species. For example, in the development of an organism from a fertilised egg, features appear in a sequence of the organism’s NEXUS New Times Nine - 1989 24 order, family, genus, then species before any characteristics which distinguish the individual from other members of their species appear. In Sheldrake’s terminology there is an increas- ing specificity of morphic resonance during morphogenesis. Repeatable Experiments Where Sheldrake differs from other researchers who have proposed holistic theories of form and being is that he claims there are replicable experiments that prove the exis- tence of formative causation. The scientific community usu- ally reacts badly to what they see as metaphysical explanations of problems which can’t be solved by conventional reduction- ist methods. In his first book, several possible experimental tests are outlined, He considers the case of anewly-synthesised organic chemical which has never existed before (pp. 106-110). Ac- cording to his theory its crystalline form will not be predictable in advance, but after it has been crystalised for the first time its form will influence subsequent crystalisations by morphic rescnance, The more often it’s crystalised the stronger this influence should become. Chemists who have synthesised new chemicals often have great difficulty in getting these substances to crystalise for the first time. Butover time, as increasing numbers of past crystals contribute to the morphogenetic field, these substances tend to crystalise more and more easily.