a^ 



PROPOSED PSYCHOMETER INDEX 



DESIGNED AS AN AID TO THE 



BETTER DETERMINATION OF COMMON FUNGOID ILLUSIONS 



AND OF THE 



COMPARATIVE VALUE OF MENTAL CONCEPTS. 



BY E. M. JOHNSTON, I.S.O., F.S.S. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



In a subject of the nature indicated as 

 above, it is desirable to avoid the very 

 common mistake of at once launching 

 into the mazes of a complicated argument 

 while employing terms which are either 

 ill-defined, or are apt to receive different 

 interpretations from different per- 

 sons. 



The whole value of an argument often 

 depends upon the exact definition of one 

 or two important terms, and where such 

 terms are loosely applied and but vaguely 

 understood, the outcome of discussion, so 

 conducted, must result in confusion of 

 judgment. 



The point around which the present 

 argument hinges is the word illusion. By 

 illusion is meant any error of sense, 

 perception, memory, or representation, or 

 of judgment ba-ed upon these which 

 counterfeits reality. 



In one particular sense it is ad- 

 mitted that the objective aspect of all 

 subjective concepts is illusory; but, in 

 this sense, concepts, for th6 limited pur- 

 pose of this arguument, are not regarded 

 as "fungoid.'' For the purposes of the 

 present argument it is sufficient to con- 

 fine ourselves to the commonsense appre- 

 ciation of phenomena, and to what are 

 commonly regarded as realities of common 

 sense. Thus limited we may define all 

 counterfeits of realities as illusions of 

 commonsense. 



By reality is meant the opposite of 

 counterfeit — e.g., the pictorial representa- 

 tion of the features of a person, scene, or 

 thing is a counterfeit when not regarded 

 as a symbol of the thmg represented. Art 

 has reached a high limit when it produces 

 illusion. But the art of the modeller, 

 sculptor, mechanic, or necromancer can 

 only succeed under restricted conditions as 

 regards healthily constituted minds, armed 

 with the full complement of the ordinary 

 sensiferous organs. Those who lack, or 

 who are deprived of one or more of tho 

 essential normal senses, can never be 

 certain of freedom from illusion. 



It is by the sister or auxiliary senses 

 that we continually — perhaps uncon- 

 sciously—correct our impressions, or take 

 "our bearings," so to speak. Deprive 

 anyone of these natural auxiliary aids, or 

 even weaken or render any of them 

 artificially inoperative, and lo 1 the 

 individual mind is a ready prey to all the 

 illusions and disorders of sense and 

 imagination. 



The senses, however imperfect in tho 

 normal condition, are wonderful checks 

 upon each other. Combined, they are the 

 props of trae knowledge and understand- 

 ing. The most simple impressions are 

 liable to be illusory if the particulat sense 

 concerned be weakened by disease or over- 

 work. Render inoperative, or weaken at 

 such a time the sister senses, and the 

 strong commonsense appreciation of the 



