MIND IN EVOLUTION 



higher. And within this progressive advance we ourselves 

 have been caught up as active and open-eyed participators. 

 That is where mind in evolution comes at last into the 

 picture. Others will deal with the evolution of material 

 things and of those no less material structures we call living 

 bodies. The physiologist deals with the evolution of the 

 brain. I am called on to deal with mind in evolution. 



We must all admit that the body and the mind are, in 

 millions of living beings here on earth, in some way very 

 closely connected. We may tell a story of the body. Can 

 one state in a few words what is distinctive of the mental 

 story as contrasted with the bodily story? Let me try to do 

 so. In the mental story there is enjoyment. You and I 

 know what this feels like; and that is the only way we can 

 know it. It is in common parlance pleasurable; but since 

 discomfort and pain, though opposites, are the same kind 

 of feeling, let us include these as "negative enjoyment." 



In the mental story there is also that which may be called 

 reference. When I see in the sky a halo round the moon and 

 I think this portends bad weather there is in my mind 

 reference to the rain I am led to expect. If I have to go 

 out to a long meeting I shall take my umbrella. In that case 

 there is guidance of action with reference to a possible wet 

 night in order that I may prevent, so far as I can, the dis- 

 comfort of a drenching. 



Now other words than those employed here may be used. 

 But on these terms whenever 'there is pleasurable enjoyment 

 or its negative discomfort; whenever there is objective ref- 

 erence, as it is called; wherever there is guidance of behaviour 

 or of conduct to the end of gaining pleasurable enjoyment 

 or of avoiding discomfort we have characters distinctive of 

 mind. Consider whether this brief statement, so far as it 

 goes, is accordant with the facts of experience, and if so 



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