THE ORIGIN OF THE HUMAN SOUL 231 



In the latter system, sense-perception, imagination, and emo- 

 tion are acknowledged to be directly dependent on the organ- 

 ism. Again, spiritual functions like thinking and willing are 

 regarded as objectively or extrinsically dependent upon the 

 imagination, which, in turn, is directly dependent on a material 

 organ, namely: the brain. Hence even the rational operations 

 of the mind are indirectly dependent upon the cerebral cortex. 

 The spiritualism of Aristotle, therefore, by reason of its doc- 

 trine concerning the direct dependence of the lower, and the 

 indirect dependence of the higher, psychic functions upon the 

 material organism, is able to absorb into its own system all 

 the supposedly hostile facts amassed by Materialism, thereby 

 rendering them futile and inconsequential as arguments 

 against the spirituality of the human soul. In confronting this 

 philosophy, the materialistic scientist finds himself disarmed 

 and impotent, and it is not to be wondered at, that, after 

 indulging in certain abusive epithets and a few cant phrases, 

 such as "metaphysics" or "medieval" (invaluable words!), 

 he prudently retires from the lists without venturing to so 

 much as break a lance in defense of his favorite dogma, that 

 nothing is spiritual, because all is matter. In this predica- 

 ment, the Cartesian caricature proves a boon to the material- 

 ist, as furnishing him with the adversary he prefers, a man 

 of straw, and enabling him to demonstrate his paltry tin- 

 sword prowess. Of a truth, Descartes performed an inestima- 

 ble service for these modern "assassins of the soul," when he 

 relieved them of the necessity of crossing swords with the 

 hylomorphic dualism of Aristotle by the substitution of a 

 far less formidable antagonist, namely, the psychophysical 

 dualism of mind and matter. 



The proofs advanced, in the previous pages, for the spiritu- 

 ality of the human soul are based upon the superorganic 

 function of rational thought. A parallel series of arguments 

 can be drawn from the superorganic function of rational 

 volition. The cognitive intellect has for its necessary sequel 

 the appetitive will, which may be defined as spiritual tendency 



