Outlines of physiological psychology : a text-book of mental science for academies and colleges / by George Trumbull Ladd.

  • Ladd, George Trumbull, 1842-1921
Date:
1896
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Outlines of physiological psychology : a text-book of mental science for academies and colleges / by George Trumbull Ladd. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    indicated by the adjective. We may, then, define physi- ological psychology as the science of the phenomena of human consciousness in their relations to the structure and functions of the nervous system. It is psychology, because it is the science of the human mind, or soul; it is phys- iological psychology, because it regards the mind as stand- ing in peculiar relations to the bodily mechanism. Method of Physiological Psychology. — In its method this compound science necessarily partakes of the character- istics of the two sciences which enter into it. But these two sciences differ somewhat widely in respect to tlieir long-established methods. They also differ in their very nature in such a way as to make necessary a difference of method in their pursuit. It has always been held by a great majority of its students that the method of psy- chology is necessarily what is known as “introspective.” But there can be no doubt that the method of physiology is one of external observation and experiment; since physiology is a physical science and has to determine external facts of the structure, development, and functions of a physical mechanism. It is not strange, therefore, that doubts and even disputes have arisen as to the possibility of combining these two methods, and as to the proper way of making the combination, in case it is to be made at all. These doubts and disputes are, however, for the most part, unimportant. The method to which psychology has, from time almost immemorial, appealed is, as has been said, introspection., or self-consciousness. The exhortation given to the student of mental phenomena is, accordingly, made to run as fol- lows : “ Would you know what it is to see, to hear, to think, to feel, to desire, to will? Then look witliin your- self and find the answer there.” To answer such ques- tions, inspect within (m^ro-spect); to know what is the meaning of consciousness, in any of its varied forms, be