----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- In the HES Posting discussion of 'animal spirits' the term is seen as a scientific concept which refers specifically to physiology. However, it was apparently also used in daily parlance and can be found in a number of novels, such as Fielding's Tom Jones: "Jones had naturally violent animal spirits"(p. 235 in the Penguin Classics edition) and Austen's Pride and Prejudice: "She had high animal spirits"(p. 99 in the Penguin Classics edition). 'Animal spirits' was used here in the third meaning given in the Oxford English Dictionary, nl.: nervous vivacity, natural gaiety of disposition, 'healthy animalism'. Would it be far-fetched to assume that for Keynes is was simply a well-known literary expression without necessarily having some profound philosophical connotation? Hans Visser Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]