Psychology proved by physical science / abstracted from a paper by James Croll ; read to the Psychological Society of Great Britain, Thursday, March 15, 1877, by the President.

  • Croll, James, 1821-1890.
Date:
[1877]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Psychology proved by physical science / abstracted from a paper by James Croll ; read to the Psychological Society of Great Britain, Thursday, March 15, 1877, by the President. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    2/16 (page 2)
    9, appeared in the Philosophical Magazine in the year 1872. But in this essay the bearing of the question upon Physics is mainly treated of. That portion of it, important as it is, possesses but a secondary interest for this Society and will require no more reference than will be sufficient to make the psychological aspect of the subject intelligible to the members. Hence it is here much abbreviated and a portion of the language is necessarily my own; but I hope to present a faithful outline of his argument. The laws of Molecular Motion are now generally accepted as being the ultimate problem of the Universe. Molecular Physics is the Science upon which all the other Physical Sciences will ultimately converge. Molecular Physics resolve themselves into two great problems. First, what is the constitution of the ultimate atoms that make molecules and of the molecules that make matter ?—for, be it observed, a molecule is only an aggregation of atoms. Second, what are the laws of their motion ? But a grand fundamental problem lies behind these two problems, to which attention will be directed presently. The solution of the first problem—what is the ultimate constitution of matter ?—has not even been conjectured, much less arrived at. But some facts leading to it are now generally accepted as proved. The molecule is not the ultimate particle. There are atoms of which molecules are composed. Molecules made up of atoms combined in different proportions doubtless present the same diversities of shape and character as do the various combinations of molecules of which that we call “matter” is constructed. Our senses are fitted to perceive only that combination of atoms which constitutes molecules, and we call the things ■so constructed “ matter.” Beyond all doubt there are mfinite varieties of structure formed of other combinations [178]