History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Volume I (of 2): Revised EditionDraper, John William
History
History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Volume I (of 2): Revised Edition
Draper, John William
Europe -- Civilization
agent? Nor was there any want, in those times, of well-authenticated
stories of unearthly faces and forms seen in such solitudes.
[Sidenote: Origin of psychology.]
The modification made by Diogenes in the theory of Anaximenes, by
converting it from a physical into a psychological system, is important,
as marking the beginning of the special philosophy of Greece. The
investigation of the intellectual development of the universe led the
Greeks to the study of the intellect itself. In his special doctrine,
Diogenes imputed the changeability of the air to its mobility; a
property in which he thought it excelled all other substances, because
it is among the rarest or thinnest of the elements. It is, however, said
by some, who are disposed to transcendentalize his doctrine, that he did
not mean the common atmospheric air, but something more attenuated and
warm; and since, in its purest state, it constitutes the most perfect
intellect, inferior degrees of reason must be owing to an increase of
its density and moisture. Upon such a principle, the whole earth is
animated by the breath of life; the souls of brutes, which differ from
one another so much in intelligence, are only air in its various
conditions of moisture and warmth. He explained the production of the
world through condensation of the earth from air by cold, the warmth
rising upward and forming the sun; in the stars he thought he recognized
the respiratory organs of the world. From the preponderance of moist air
in the constitution of brutes, he inferred that they are like the
insane, incapable of thought, for thickness of the air impedes
respiration, and therefore quick apprehension. From the fact that plants
have no cavities wherein to receive the air, and are altogether
unintelligent, he was led to the principle that the thinking power of
man arises from the flowing of that substance throughout the body in the
blood. He also explained the superior intelligence of men from their
breathing a purer air than the beasts, which carry their nostrils near
the ground. In these crude and puerile speculations we have the
beginning of mental philosophy.
[Sidenote: Modern discoveries as to the relations of the air.]
[Sidenote: Inter-dependence of animals and plants.]
[Sidenote: Agency of the sun.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account