Basic Concepts of Early 18th-Century Animism

The 18th-century mechanist physicians offered mechanical explanations for vital phenomena and paid special attention to bodily parts and to analysis. The 18th-century animists were principally concerned with integration and purposive goal activity. Mechanists either ignored goal activity or offered ad hoc explanations that depended on faith rather than demonstration. These explanations animists could readily show lacked cogency, but the animists themselves ignored specific details. The conflict centered around the problem, "Which facts will we attend to and which ones ignore?"