PROBLEMS OF ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY 761 



able to all students, for probably no two observers are agreed as 

 to the interpretation of the facts, or, if the fundamental notion be 

 accepted, whether the theory includes a limited or a large category 

 of facts. All, however, are agreed that, under certain artificially 

 induced or abnormal conditions, correlated with our brain-processes 

 at any moment of time, there may be a certain number of element- 

 ary conscious states of whose existence we are ignorant, but which 

 nevertheless coexist with that habitual waking consciousness 

 which we term our self, or our own personality. 



Now as to the conditions under which this secondary conscious- 

 ness develops, and to its extent the number of sensations, emo- 

 tions, and other psychical states composing it, and, above all, the 

 degree to which they are organized into a self-acting system (or 

 personality) there is considerable difference of opinion, so that 

 there may be said to be several theories of the secondary conscious- 

 ness, according to the point of view of the writer, and the inter- 

 pretation given to the accepted facts. While all agree that under 

 special conditions every mind may be made up of certain states 

 of which we are conscious and certain states of which we are not 

 conscious, some think that in healthy minds the secondary con- 

 sciousness if existent at all is limited to only a number of 

 more or less dissociated and isolated states, like sensations and 

 perhaps emotions, without being synthesized into a personal self- 

 unity, or even self-acting system. Others think that these disso- 

 ciated states are always woven into a systematized unity and are 

 capable of considerable intellectual and independent activity. 

 Some think that these secondary states play but a small subor- 

 dinate part in our mental lives; others think that they have a 

 very large share in our daily acts, particularly in those acts to 

 which we do not give our conscious volition (habit acts, absent- 

 minded acts, etc.). Still others seek to explain our highest intel- 

 lectual feats through this secondary consciousness. It will be borne 

 in mind that we are now speaking of normal healthy minds. In 

 diseased minds, it is agreed by all that the psychical states making 

 up this secondary consciousness may become highly organized 

 into a self-acting system and become capable of playing a role 

 almost as controlling and independent as the habitual self. But 

 some (Janet) think a doubling of consciousness is always a sign 

 of disease. 



Now subconscious ideas are dissociated ideas dissociated from 

 the main system of ideas which make up the personal consciousness. 

 They are thrown off, so to speak, as satellites may be supposed to be 

 thrown off, from their planet. The term " subconscious " is an unfor- 

 tunate one, for it is metaphorical, and, while descriptive does not 

 precisely express the true relation of these ideas to the personal 



