From the Unconscious to the Conscious 



If the two first data of our philosophy are undeniable 

 and generally undenied, this is not the case with the 

 third. The permanence and unlimited development 

 of the individual consciousness are denied by most 

 philosophers, even by those who have admitted our 

 general concept of things. 



Averroes and Schopenhauer are in agreement with 

 contemporary materialists on this point. For them, 

 personal consciousness is a cerebral function appearing 

 with the organism and disappearing with it. Like the 

 body, that consciousness is a passing and ephemeral 

 phenomenon indissolubly linked to its proper repre- 

 sentation. 



We maintain on the contrary that the individual 

 consciousness is an integral part of that which is essential 

 and permanent in the living being, that it pre-exists 

 and survives all successive organisations all objecti- 

 fications or representations of the eternal essence; 

 keeping the entire remembrance of these representations, 

 and growing step by step with all the experiences which 

 they involve. 



Doubtless the permanence of the individual con- 

 sciousness is contrary to appearances, because the major 

 part of its gains remains subconscious and latent during 

 the period of a terrestrial life; and it is not surprising 

 that this should appear an absurdity to the vulgar crowd, 

 unless indeed it be made into an article of faith for 

 them. 



On the other hand, it is as regrettable as it is sur- 

 prising that a philosopher of Schopenhauer's genius 

 should have shared the opinion of the crowd without 

 discussing it. 



The permanence of the individual consciousness has 

 a double demonstration to support it the scientific and 

 the metaphysical. 



It is quite natural that the scientific demonstration, 

 being based on facts still unknown in Schopenhauer's 



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