The instinct of workmanship, and the state of industrial artsVeblen, Thorstein
Philosophy
The instinct of workmanship, and the state of industrial arts
Veblen, Thorstein
Industrial arts -- History; Industries -- History; Technology -- History; Workmanship -- History
This fact, that in some measure the several instincts spring from a
common ground of sentient life, that they each engage the individual
as a whole, has serious consequences in the domain of habit, and
therefore it counts for much in the growth of civilisation and in the
everyday conduct of affairs. The physiological apparatus engaged in the
functioning of any given instinct enters in part, though in varying
measure, into the working of some or of any other instinct; whereby,
even on physiological grounds alone, the habituation that touches
the functioning of any given instinct must, in a less degree but
pervasively, affect the habitual conduct of the same agent when driven
by any other instinct. So that on this view the scope of habit, in so
far as it bears on the instinctive activities, is necessarily wider
than the particular concrete line of conduct to which the habituation
in question is due.
* * * * *
The instincts are hereditary traits. In the current theories of
heredity they would presumably be counted as secondary characteristics
of the species, as being in a sense by-products of the physiological
activities that give the species its specific character; since these
theories in the last resort run in physiological terms. So the
instinctive dispositions would scarcely be accounted unit characters,
in the Mendelian sense, but would rather count as spiritual traits
emerging from a certain concurrence of physiological unit characters
and varying somewhat according to variations in the complement of
unit characters to which the species or the individual may owe his
constitution. Hence would arise variations of individuality among
the members of the race, resting in some such manner as has just
been suggested on the varying endowment of instincts, and running
back through these finally to recondite differences of physiological
function. Some such account of the instinctive dispositions and their
relation to the physical individual seems necessary as a means of
apprehending them and their work without assuming a sheer break between
the physical and the immaterial phenomena of life.
* * * * *
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account