This was written as a response to a draft by E. Rignano entitled 'Man Not a Machine'. Following publication of Man a Machine Rignano initiated a friendly correspondence with Needham and invited him to write an article for the journal Scientia. He was also asked to check a translation of an article by Rignano submitted for the Psyche Miniatures series. Rignano died in February 1930 and Needham was asked to write an obituary of Rignano for Nature and an appreciation of his work for Scientia.