The study of medicine: with a physiological system of nosology (Volume 3).

  • Good, John Mason, 1764-1827.
Date:
1825
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The study of medicine: with a physiological system of nosology (Volume 3). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    33/440
    ticuliere qu'on regarde comme une emanation de la Divinite. II est trop consolent de croire a cet etre, pour que le physiologiste mette en doute son existence; mais la severite de language ou de logique que comport maintenant la physiologie, exige que Ton traite de rintelligence humaine comme si elleetait laresultatde l'action d'un organe En s'ecartant, de cette marche, des hommes jestement ce- lebres sont tombes dans des graves erreurs ; en la suivant, on a, d'ailleurs, le grand avantage de conserver la memc methode d'etude, et de rendre treb faciles, de choses qui sont envisagees generale- ment comme presque au-dessus de i esprit humain.— II existe une science dont le but est d'apprendre a raisonner justement, c'est la logique, mais le jugement errone ou l'espritfaux (for judgment, genius, and imagination, and therefore false reasoning, all depend on organization) tiennent a lorganization. II est impossible de ce changer a cet egard; nous restons tels que la nature nous a faits.* Dr Spurzheim has generally been considered, from the concur- rent tenour of his doctrines, as belonging to the class of material- ists : but this is to mistake his own positive assertion upon the sub- ject, or to conclude in opposition to it. He speaks, indeed, upon this topic with a singular hesitation and reserve, more so, perhaps, than upon any other point whatever; but as far as he chooses to ex- press himself on so abstruse a subject, he regards the soul as a dis- tinct being from the body, and at least intimates that it may be near- er akin to the Deity. Man is, with him, also possessed of two lives, an automatic, and an animal: the first produced by organization alone, and destitute of consciousness ; the second possessed of con- sciousness dependent on the soul, and merely manifesting itself by organization. We do not, says he, attempt to explain how the body and soul are joined together and exercise a mutual influence. We do not examine what the soul can do without the body. Souls, so far as we know, may be united to the bodies at the moment of conception or afterwards; they may be different in all individuals, or of the same kind in every one; they may be emanations from God, or something essentially different.t The mind-of this cele- brated craniologist seems to be wonderfully sceptical and bewilder- ed upon the subject, and studiously avoids the important question of capacity of the soul for an independent and future existence; but with the above declarations he cannot well be arranged in the class of materialists. The hypothesis which has lately been, started by Mr. Lawrence is altogether of a different kind, and though undoubtedly much sim- plerj than any of the preceding, does not seem to be built on a more stable foundation. According to his view of the subject, or- ganized differs from inorganized matter merely by the addition of j ' ■ • • Precis Elementaire, &c. et supra, passim. \ Physiognomical System, &c. p. 250. 8vo. Lond. 1815. % Introduction to Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, &c. 8vo. 1816,