The Burroughs, John 1837-1921 creator text utu 2006 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "The Breath of Life" by John Burroughs is a philosophical work exploring the nature and origin of life, written in the early 20th century. The book delves into the relationship between living and non-living things, grappling with concepts of vitality, force, and the underlying mysteries of existence. Burroughs reflects on the philosophical and scientific implications of life, often contrasting idealism and naturalism, aiming to elucidate the processes that govern living beings. The opening of the work establishes Burroughs' meditative tone as he reflects on the persistent mysteries surrounding life as he nears its end. He raises profound questions while contemplating simple observations in nature, such as the resilience of burdocks in his garden. He contrasts mechanical explanations of life with the recognition of an ineffable life force that seems to animate the natural world. Burroughs articulates the challenge of reconciling scientific views with personal and philosophical interpretations of life, setting the stage for a rich exploration of biology, vitality, and existence throughout the subsequent chapters. (This is an automatically generated summary.) The breath of life -- The living wave -- A wonderful world -- The baffling problem -- Scientific vitalism -- A bird of passage -- Life and mind -- Life and science -- The journeying atoms -- The vital order -- The arrival of the fit -- The naturalist's view of life. Release date is 2006-05-07 Produced by Bryan Ness, Jamie Atiga, Leonard Johnson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Original publication data not identified Life (Biology) QH Original publication data not identified 15011713 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18335 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18335 UtSlPG 260607 20260610133428.0 18335