Empirical and rational psychology

Front matter

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Introduction

Psychology is the science which treats of the phenomena and the faculties of the human soul. It treats directly of phenomena and indirectly of faculties, since faculties are known only through phenomena.

The aim of psychology is to ascertain the phenomena of the human soul, to analyze and classify these phenomena, and to determine their conditions and laws.

The utility of psychology is evident from the fact that it supplies the fundamental principles for all the sciences pertaining to man as an intellectual, moral, social, and religious being; that it cultivates the mind loj calling its faculties into vigorous exercise, thus contributing to our perfection and consequently to our happiness; and that it checks the evils resulting from too exclusive pursuit of physical science, by directing our attention to our spiritual nature, moral dignity, and probable destiny.

The means for psychological study may be divided into two classes — principal and collateral.

The principal means for psychological study are consciousness, reflection, and rational intuition.

Consciousness is the immediate knowledge which the soul has of its phenomena. It is the primary means of collecting the facts pertaining to the operations of the various faculties of the soul.

Reflection is the turning back of the thoughts to the consideration of psychical phenomena. It is the means by which the phenomena of the soul are analyzed, compared, identified or discriminated, and classified. Thus, by reflection, psychical phenomena are found to be reducible to three classes — cognitions, or acts of knowledge; feelings, or sensations, instincts, appe'tites, emotions, affections, and desires; and volitions, or choices.

Rational intuition is the immediate apprehension of necessary truth. It is the means by which the soul apprehends the necessity of the conditions and laws of its phenomena. Thus, by rational intuition, the phenomena of the soul are referred to causes capable of producing them; for, these phenomena, beginning in time, are not eternal. They can not bring themselves into existence, since they can not act before they exist.

A faculty of the soul is its capability of doing a certain act, or its susceptibility of being in a certain state.

Hence, the faculties of the soul, its powers and susceptibilities, are, as inferred from its phenomena, likewise reducible to three classes — the Intellect^ or faculty of cognition; the Sensibility, or susceptibility of feeling; and the Will, or power of volition.

It is, therefore, evident that the intimate relation of the psychical phenomena, the cognitions, feelings, and volitions, implies the intimate relation of the faculties, the intellect, the sensibility, and the will, and the unity of the soul, their common origin; that these phenomena, though fleeting, imply, from their continued succession and spiritual character, a permanent spiritual subject, variously called the soul, spirit, mind, I, self, or ego, endowed with the faculties of intellect, sensibility, and will.

The collateral means for psychological studj^ are the

INTR OD UCTION, 13

sciences of Biology, Anthropology, Sociology, Anatomy, and Physiology.

Biology is the science of life. It treats of the phenomena manifested by the living beings of the two organic kingdoms, vegetable and animal. As a science, Biology is fundamental and comprehensive. It throws great light on all the other sciences pertaining to living beings.

Anthropology is the science which treats of man according to the methods of Natural History. It considers him as a complex being, consisting of body, animal life, and soul or spirit. It views man in a general way, as to race, sex, age, heredity, and the reciprocal influence of body and soul. It studies him as affected by climate, education, religion, government, employment, and accidental circumstances, leaving the more profound and scientific study of the physical and spiritual natures of man to distinct and special sciences.

Sociology is the science of society. It treats of man in social organizations — the family, society, the church, or the state. Man's capabilities are known by his manifestations .and achievements. In war, he has exhibited ambition and patriotism, courage and cruelty, genius and rapacity. In peace, he has cultivated science, literature, and art; he has engaged in agriculture, in the mechanic arts, and in commerce; he has founded governments, organized religions, and developed the learned professions.

Anatomy and Physiology are related sciences which treat of the structure and functions of man's physical organism. A knowledge of these sciences is a valuable preparation for the study of mind; since the body, especially the nervous system, sustains vital relations to the phenomena of the soul. In the perception of external objects, the mind uses the organs of the five senses. In executing its volitions, it employs the body as its instrument; but in the higher operations of thought, it seems to act independently of all material organs, exhibiting phenomena totally unlike the properties of matter.

In endeavoring to ascertain the relations existing between the body and soul, the approved methods of science — observation, experiment, induction, and deduction — are to be employed; and though nothing is to be assumed without evidence, yet it may be allowed, in the course of an investigation, to form an hypothesis, with the understanding that it is merely provisional, and that it must stand or fall according as it is confirmed or refuted by subsequent investigations.

It is legitimate to endeavor to ascertain what physical conditions, if any, are the invariable antecedents or consequents, as the case may be, of certain psychical states; but it is not legitimate to assume, without proof, except provisionally, that every psychical phenomenon must have fixed physical antecedents or consequents.

Though our knowledge of the body has already enlarged our knowledge of the conditions of the phenomena of the soul, and may be expected to do so more and more as our investigations are continued, yet it is to be remembered that we can understand neither perception, nor representation, nor elaboration, by examining the nerves with the Physiologist, nor by feeling the head after the manner of the Phrenologist, but only by studying these processes themselves, in the light of consciousness, by the aid of reflection and rational intuition.

The Rules for Investigation are the following:

1. Employ the principal and collateral means of study.

2. Take, as fundamental facts, the psychical phenomena given in consciousness, all the phenomena, and nothing but the phenomena.

3. Carefully observe, analyze, compare, and classify the phenomena.

INTR OD UCTION.

4. Determine the conditions and laws of the phenomena.

5. Eefer phenomena essentially alike to the same faculty, and those essentially unlike to different faculties.

6. Make an accurate register of the results.

In order to present a bird's-eye view of the subject, we subjoin a summary classification of the phenomena of the human soul, also a classification of the faculties implied by these phenomena. These classifications give an outline of the subject, and they will be useful for reference, as we pursue our investigations.

It will be observed that certain phenomena and the corresponding faculties have the same names, a defect unavoidable on account of the imperfection of language. The word JReason is used to denote the reasoning power. It is sometimes used to denote the logical power in general, also the power of rational intuition.

Cognition

CLASSIFICATION OF PSYCHICAL PHENOMENA.

c^ 1-. ^- I Consciousness.

Rational — Intuition.

Obj ective— Perception.

Memory.

Feeling

Volition.

Acquisition

Representation Elaboration

Physical feeling - Vital feeling Psychical feeling

Imagination.

Phantasy.

Conceiving.

Judging.

Reasoning.

Sensation.

Instinct.

Appetite.

Of rest or fatigue.

Of vigor or languor.

Of health or sickness.

Emotions.

AffectionSo Desires.

Solicitation— the antecedent of volition. Volition — the choice or decision.

Execution — the consequent of volition.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE PSYCHICAL FACULTIES.

Subjective

( Consciousness.

Intellect

Acquisitive faculties

Representative faculties

Sensibility

^ Logical faculties

Physical sensibility

Vital sensibility

Psychical sensibility

\ Reflection.

Rational— Intuition.

Objective— Perception.

Memory.

Imagination.

Phantasy.

Conception.

Judgment.

Reason.

Sensation.

Instinct.

Appetite.

Of rest or fatigue.

Of vigor or languor.

Of health or sickness.

Susceptibility of emotion.

Susceptibility of affection.

Susceptibility of desire.

Will

Passive susceptibility— as solicited by motive. Elective power— ability to choose or decide. Executive energy — as exerted in execution.

1. Definition.

2. Aim

Introduction

3. Utility

4. Means of study

1st. Principal

2d. Collateral

5. Rules for investigation -i. ^^^

5th. 6th.

6. Classification of psychical phenomena.

7. Classification of psychical faculties.