2. Why do we measure differently colored objects and variegated objects
with one and the same spatial measure? How do we recognise differently
colored objects as the same in size? Where do we get our measure of
space from and what is it?
3. Why is it that differently colored figures of the same form reproduce
one another and are recognised as the same?
Here are difficulties enough. Herbart is unable to solve them by his
theory. The unprejudiced student sees at once that his "inhibition by
reason of form" and "preference by reason of form" are absolutely
impossible. Think of Herbart's example of the red and black letters.
The "help to coalescence" is a passport, so to speak, made out to the
name and person of the percept. A percept which is coalesced with
another cannot reproduce all others qualitatively different from it for
the simple reason that the latter are in like manner coalesced with one
another. Two qualitatively different series certainly do not reproduce
themselves because they present the same order of degree of coalescence.
If it is certain that only things simultaneous and things which are
alike are reproduced, a basic principle of Herbart's psychology which
even the most absolute empiricists will not deny, nothing remains but to
modify the theory of spatial perception or to invent in its place a new
principle in the manner indicated, a step which hardly any one would
seriously undertake. The new principle could not fail to throw all
psychology into the most dreadful confusion.
As to the modification which is needed there can be hardly any doubt as
to how in the face of the facts and conformably to Herbart's own
principles it is to be carried out. If two differently colored figures
of equal size reproduce each other and are recognised as equal, the
result can be due to nothing but to the existence in both series of
presentations of a presentation or percept which is qualitatively _the
same_. The colors are different. Consequently, like or equal percepts
must be connected with the colors which are yet independent of the
colors. We have not to look long for them, for they are the like effects
of the muscular feelings of the eye when confronted by the two figures.
We might say we reach the vision of space by the registering of
light-sensations in a schedule of graduated muscle-sensations.[148]
A few considerations will show the likelihood of the rôle of the
muscle-sensations. The muscular apparatus of _one_ eye is unsymmetrical.
The two eyes together form a system which is vertical in symmetry. This
already explains much.
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