Elements of physiological psychology : a treatise of the activities and nature of the mind from the physical and experimental point of view / by George T. Ladd.

  • Ladd, George Trumbull, 1842-1921.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elements of physiological psychology : a treatise of the activities and nature of the mind from the physical and experimental point of view / by George T. Ladd. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    PREFACE. There can be no doubt that an important movement in psychol- ogy has arisen in recent times through the effort to approach the phenomena of mind from the experimental and physiological point of view. Different students of psychological science will estimate differently both the net result already reached by this effort and the promise of further additions to the sum of our knowledge from continued investigation of the same kiud. Some writers have cer- tainly indulged in extravagant claims as to the past triumphs of so- called Physiological Psychology, and in equally extravagant expec- tations as to its future discoveries. On the other hand, a larger number, perhaps, have been inclined either to fear or to depreciate every attempt to mingle the methods, laws, and speculations of the physical sciences with the study of the human soul. These latter apparently anticipate that some discovery in the localization of cerebral function, or in psychometry, may jeopard the birthright of man as a spiritual and rational being. Or possibly they wish to regard the soul as separated, by natui'e and with respect to its modes of action, from the material body in such a way as to render it impossible to understand more of the one by learning more about the other. Asa result of some years of study of the general subject, I express with considerable confidence the opinion that there is no ground for extravagant claims or expectations, and still less ground for any fear of consequences. In all cases of new and somewhat rankly growing scientific enterprises, it is much the better way to waive the discus- sion of actual or possible achievements, as well as of welcomed or dreaded revelations of new truth, and proceed at once to the busi- ness on hand. It is proposed in this book to follow this better way. It will be the task of the book itself to set forth the assured or al- leged results of Physiological Psychology; and this will be done at