The Monist, Vol. 2, 1891-1892 : $b A quarterly magazineVarious
Philosophy
The Monist, Vol. 2, 1891-1892 : $b A quarterly magazine
Various
Philosophy -- Periodicals
The problem, “Are there things in themselves?” is closely connected with
the subject of my discussion with Professor Mach. Professor Mach as
well as myself are aspiring to arrive at a consistent and harmonious or
unitary world-conception. Both of us recognise that things in themselves
have no room in a monistic philosophy, both of us recognise that concepts
are means only of orientation, they are the mental tools of living beings
developed as an assistance in dealing with the surrounding world. They
are symbols in which the processes of nature are copied and imitated and
which can serve for planning or modeling and thus predetermining the
course of nature. So far we agree, but then there appears a difference
which it is difficult for me to understand or formulate in precise terms.
Professor Mach objects to the dualism of motion and feeling, which he
declares he conceives as a unity not as a duality. But so do I. It
appears to me that we must differ somehow in the method of constructing
the unity. I see indeed a contrast of physical and of psychical. This
contrast, however, in my conception does not belong to the object but to
the subject. It is a contrast of our conception of things, but it is not
a contrast existing objectively in the real things themselves. The world
is not composed of the psychical and the physical, but certain features
of the world are called physical, and others psychical. Both terms are
abstracts.
Professor Mach said in his first article and repeats it again in the
present article that his former standpoint resembles very closely my
present standpoint. When reading Professor Mach’s lectures of 1863,
I took pains to look for the similarity, and finding many things in
which I could agree I dropped the differences taking the agreements
as the essential points. In reading, however, Professor Mach’s résumé
of his former position as stated in this present article, I find that
he attaches prominence to several points which I cannot endorse.
I do not accept the theory that atoms feel, that they are endowed
with consciousness. I have never spoken of atoms when dealing with
psychological problems. The term “atom” is a chemical term invented
as a help for thinking the equivalence of the weight of the elements
which always combine in definite proportions. The term “atom” has in
my opinion no sense if applied to other phenomena. The term “atom” has
not been abstracted from psychical phenomena nor has it been invented
for describing them. There is accordingly no probability that it can
find there any appropriate application. We might as well expect that
mathematical terms such as lines, points, circles, etc., are applicable
in psychology. The idea of conscious circles or points can not in my mind
be more absurd than that of conscious atoms. The rule must be observed
that we can use abstractions made for a special purpose for that purpose
only; they will not serve any other purpose as well. It is true that they
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