In Gavin Francis’ book Adventures in Human Being, the author mentions the novel Zeno’s Conscience by the German-Italian writer Italo Svevo (1861-1928). In that novel, the main character, a hypochondriac businessman called Zeno, meets an old school friend. This friend is suffering from severe arthritis. Discussion moves to how, when walking briskly, each step might take less than a second and yet involve the action of no fewer than fifty-four muscles. Zeno finds this rather shocking and turns his attention inward, hoping to sense each one of those muscles in action. This does him little good. It does not give him a greater understanding of his body or sense of his being. In fact, it becomes counterproductive as walking becomes more difficult for him.
The story recognises how, in order to perform certain complex actions, it is not necessary for us to be consciously aware of every muscle contraction we make. Nor, for that matter, every muscle relaxation made. Most of our movements are done without careful thought or consideration. As I have typed this, I have been thinking about a number of different things, none of them being about which finger to put on what key or the order in which those actions must take place. (Witness the many typos I always need to correct.) Chameleons, an old professor once suggested, have their distinctive way of moving because, lacking a highly developed cerebellum, they need to move more deliberately. The cerebellum stores the information – some might call this a set of programmes – for all the movements we make. When we need to make a movement, we do not have to think much about it. We decide to move and subconsciously call upon the cerebellum’s involvement. In effect, the programme held there is run, and the movement is results.
What would it be like to be a chameleon? If my old professor was correct, it is doubtful whether I could think and type at the same time. I would have to think more carefully about every finger movement. This would surely detract from what I am thinking about. (It’s a good job I don’t chew gum!)
We tend to think of movement primarily in terms of muscle contraction. However, to make a movement, a whole repertoire of relaxations as well as contractions must take place in a highly coordinated way. A contraction may even be isometric in that it may occur without a change in length taking place. By becoming taut, that muscle provides a stabilising effect. There is much more to walking than Zeno was told, which is perhaps lucky for him.
