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.

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    been to show that the various phenomena of Light, Heat, Electricity, &c., are but different modifications in the action of the same forces. When the forces take one path, we have Light; taking another path, we have Heat; another produces Electricity, and so on. How it will be observed that the fundamental question is not, what is the particular force in action, or upon what does its exertion depend, but rather what is it that causes the force to act in the particular manner in which it does act ? In other words, what determines the paths along which it acts? Physical phenomena are produced in general by the motion of the moleeules^or of the atoms of bodies; now the great question is not simply what produces the motion, but what produces the particular kind of motion ? It is not what gives existence to the motion, but what determines its direction ? This is evident, because the particular phenomenon, regarding which our inquiries are concerned, does not directly depend upon the mere existence of the motion, but upon its special direction or determi- nation. The same exertion of force which produces one phenomenon would probably produce any other phenomenon, were determination in the proper direction given to it. It is the determination of the force which accounts for the particular phenomenon; the mere exertion of force may be supposed to be the same in all phenomena. The first proposition is, therefore, “ That the 'production of Motion and the determination of motion are absolutely and essentially different.” By determination of motion he means its direction to a special end. Force may produce motion—but force does not determine the direction of that motion. All the motion that goes to inorganic or to organic structure is a definite motion. It is directed to a specific purpose. Say that it acts in obedience to law. We mean by this only that the force that causes the particular motion has been determined by some- thing else. But that determining force must have been itself determined. Thence Mr. Croll deduces his second proposition. (2.) The action of a force cannot be determined by a force, nor can motion be determined by motion. 180]