The social organisation viewed as a growing organism: with new hypotheses as to its nature

Abstract

I have been prompted to submit this paper by two circumstances connected with this Society ?(i.) A recent indication by our President, Professor Oldham, that the Irish Nation constituted a living national organism, and (ii.) an examination by Dr. Leet at a previous meeting (12th December) of the history of function in social groups. These led me to recall the results of some personal research and practical experiment on the subject of the social organism, and I have become desirous of eliciting the views of the Society upon this philosophical concept and upon the following.