483 



1 annex a few other exam(»les, the niuiibei- of which may sHll 

 be enlarged. 



It is known that the direction of voluntary thinking and acting 

 is determined by the intentional idea in its after-effect. The bias of 

 the mind arouses the most serviceable thoughts and motives; the 

 others are inhibited. This is the course of every process of thought 

 as well when we are simply designing a travelling plan, as when 

 we are working out the most intricate scientific problem. The same 

 holds also for mental development at large. From our earliest youth 

 upwards there is an unconscious tendency by which the adult mind 

 is developed from tlie simplest data. Physiologically we observe the 

 same process, by which a single ovum develops into the full-grown 

 body. In either case there is a tendency in the line determined by 

 the result to be attained, i.e. the intentional idea. 



True, this result is not present in consciousness, but for the rest 

 it is perfectly similar to the intentional idea in its secondary function, 

 because either of them deteiniines the developing process. 



In mental growth the innate tendency dictates a certain trend. 

 Great disparities present themselves, e.g. in the types of observation 

 and in individual character. Interest, which is chiefly innate, plays 

 a prominent role in the formation of the types of observation. The 

 visual type e.g. shows an affinity for sight-impressions, while it 

 neglects the auditive-, and the motor impressions. In physical 

 development we distinguish a similar difference in trend. The fertilized 

 ovum cell is omnipotent. In it is hidden the power for development 

 of all tissues. Differentiation of this potency appears after repeated 

 division of the cell. Some cells can supply only epithelium, others 

 oidy connective tissue, or muscular and bony tissue. 



From the facts above stated it appears that there is a far-reaching 

 concordance between the laws of some psychological, and, let me 

 put it cautiously, some physiological phenomena. Our lesults justify 

 us in suspecting that with a fuller knowledge of both groups of 

 phenomena a psychological equivalent may be found for every 

 physiological phenomenon. 



28* 



