Transcriber's note:
Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
MENTAL PHILOSOPHY: INCLUDING THE INTELLECT, SENSIBILITIES, AND WILL.
by
JOSEPH HAVEN, D. D., L. L. D.,
Late Prof. of Systematic Theology in the Theological
Seminary, Chicago, Ill., and Late Prof. of Intellectual
and Moral Philosophy in Amherst College.
Improved Edition.
New York:
Sheldon and Company, 8 Murray Street.
1881
* * * * *
Dr. Haven's Valuable Series of School and
College Text-Books.
MENTAL PHILOSOPHY $2.00
MORAL PHILOSOPHY 1.75
HISTORY OF ANCIENT AND MODERN PHILOSOPHY. (In press).
* * * * *
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by
Gould and Lincoln,
In the Clerk's office of the District Court Of the
District of Massachusetts.
PREFACE
If any apology were necessary for adding yet another to the numerous
works on Mental Philosophy which have recently appeared, the
circumstances that led to the preparation of the present volume may,
perhaps, constitute that apology.
When called, several years since, to the chair of Mental and Moral
Philosophy, in this Institution, the text-books, then in use, seemed to
me not well adapted to the wants of College students. Nor was it easy
to make a change for the better. Of the works in this department, then
generally in use in our Colleges, some presumed on a more extensive
acquaintance with the science than most young men at this stage of
education are likely to possess; others, again, erring on the opposite
extreme, were deficient in thorough and scientific treatment; while
most, if not all, were, at the best, incomplete, presenting but a
partial survey of the entire field. In none of them was the science
of mind presented in its completeness and symmetry, in a manner at
once simple, yet scientific; in none of them, moreover, was it brought
down to the present time. Something more complete, more simple, more
thorough, seemed desirable.
Every year of subsequent experience as a teacher has but confirmed this
impression, and made the want of a book better adapted to the purposes
of instruction, in our American Colleges, more deeply felt. The works
on mental science, which have recently appeared in this country,
while they are certainly a valuable contribution to the department of
philosophy, seem to meet this deficiency in part, but _only_ in part.
They traverse usually but a portion of the ground which Psychology
legitimately occupies, confining their attention, for the most part, to
the _Intellectual_ Faculties, to the exclusion of the _Sensibilities_,
and the _Will_.
Feeling deeply the want which has been spoken of, it seemed to me,
early in my course, that something might be done toward remedying the
deficiency, by preparing with care, and delivering to the classes,
lectures upon the topics presented in the books, as they passed along.
This course was adopted--a method devolving much labor upon the
instructor, but rewarding him by the increased interest and more rapid
progress of the pupils. Little by little the present work thus grew
up, as the result of my studies, in connection with my classes, and of
my experience in the daily routine of the recitation and lecture room.
Gradually the lectures, thus prepared, came to take the place more and
more of a textbook, until there seemed to be no longer any reason why
they should not be put into the hands of the student as such.
It is much easier to decide what a work on mental science ought to be,
than to produce such a work. It should be comprehensive and complete,
treating of all that properly pertains to Psychology, giving to every
part its due proportion and development. It should treat the various
topics presented, in a thorough and scientific manner. It should be
conversant with the literature of the department, placing the student
in possession, not only of the true doctrines, but, to some extent
also, of the _history_ of those doctrines, showing him what has been
held and taught by others upon the points in question. In style it
should be clear, perspicuous, concise, yet not so barren of ornament as
to be destitute of interest to the reader.
At these qualities the writer has aimed in the present treatise; with
what success, others must determine.
All science, in proportion as it is complete and true, becomes simple.
In proportion as this result is attained, the labor bestowed upon it
disappears from view, and the writer seems, perhaps, to others, to have
said but a very plain and common thing. This is peculiarly the case
with mental science. The difficulty of discussing with clearness and
simplicity, and, at the same time, in a complete and thorough manner,
the difficult problems of Psychology, will be understood only by those
who make the attempt.
J. H.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
ON THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL SCIENCE 15
SECTION I.--NATURE OF THE SCIENCE 15
SECTION II.--IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL SCIENCE 20
CHAPTER II.
ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE MENTAL POWERS 29
SECTION I.--GENERAL ANALYSIS 29
SECTION II.--ANALYSIS OF INTELLECTUAL POWERS 31
SECTION III.--HISTORICAL SKETCH--VARIOUS DIVISIONS
OF THE MENTAL FACULTIES 35
DIVISION FIRST.
THE INTELLECTUAL FACULTIES.
PRELIMINARY TOPICS.
CHAPTER I.
CONSCIOUSNESS 39
CHAPTER II.
ATTENTION 46
CHAPTER III.
CONCEPTION 53
PART FIRST.
THE PRESENTATIVE POWER.
SENSE, OR PERCEPTION BY THE SENSES 58
SECTION I.--GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 59
SECTION II.--ANALYSIS OF THE PERCEPTIVE PROCESS 61
SECTION III.--ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE
QUALITIES OF BODIES 65
SECTION IV.--ORGANS OF SENSE--ANALYSIS OF THEIR
SEVERAL FUNCTIONS 68
SECTION V.--AMOUNT OF INFORMATION DERIVED FROM
THE RESPECTIVE SENSES 72
SECTION VI.--CREDIBILITY OF OUR SENSATIONS AND
PERCEPTIONS 81
SECTION VII.--HISTORICAL SKETCH 84
I. OF DIFFERENT DIVISIONS OF THE QUALITIES
OF BODIES 84
II. OF DIFFERENT THEORIES OF PERCEPTION 87
PART SECOND.
THE REPRESENTATIVE POWER.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 94
CHAPTER I.
MEMORY 96
SECTION I.--MENTAL REPRODUCTION 96
I. NATURE 96
II. LAWS 101
SECTION. II.--MENTAL RECOGNITION, AS DISTINGUISHED
FROM MENTAL REPRODUCTION 113
I. GENERAL CHARACTER 113
II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN AN ACT OF MEMORY 118
III. QUALITIES OF MEMORY 118
IV. MEMORY AS RELATED TO INTELLECTUAL STRENGTH 121
V. CULTIVATION OF MEMORY 125
VI. EFFECTS OF DISEASE ON MEMORY 128
VII. INFLUENCE OF MEMORY ON THE HAPPINESS OF LIFE 131
VIII. HISTORICAL SKETCH--DIFFERENT THEORIES
OF MEMORY 133
CHAPTER II.
IMAGINATION 137
SECTION I.--GENERAL CHARACTER OF THIS FACULTY 137