The Physical Basis of Mind: Being the Second Series of Problems of Life and Mind.Lewes, George Henry
Philosophy
The Physical Basis of Mind: Being the Second Series of Problems of Life and Mind.
Lewes, George Henry
Mind and body; Psychophysiology
assure us that these are only differences of degree. The same kind
of physiological effect accompanies the conscious and unconscious
state. Every sensory impression, no matter whether discriminated or
not, affects the circulation and develops heat. The blood-vessels of
the part impressed expand, vessels elsewhere contract--a change in
the blood pressure has been effected, which of course implies that
the whole organism has been affected. Delicate instruments show that
at the time a sensation is produced the temperature of the brain is
raised. The same is true of ideation. Mosso has invented a method of
registering the effect of thought on the circulation. He finds ideation
accompanied by a contraction of the peripheral vessels proportionate
to the degree of intellectual effort. A young man translating Greek
showed greater contraction than when he was translating Latin. During
sound sleep--when we are said to be unconscious--sudden noises
always cause contraction of the peripheral vessels. Psychological
observation assures us that the conscious and unconscious states
were both consentient, and were both operative in the same degree.
The absorbed thinker threads his way through crowded streets, and is
sub-conscious and unconscious of the various sights, sounds, touches,
and muscular movements which make up so large a portion of his sentient
excitation at the time; yet he deftly avoids obstacles, hears the
sound of a hurried step behind him, recognizes an interesting object
directly it presents itself, and can even recall in Memory many of the
uninteresting objects which he passed in sub-conscious and unconscious
indifference.
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