From the Unconscious to the Conscious 



the lower and primary form of intuition ; like the latter 

 it implies a kind of divination. 



Now what do we see in the comparative psychology 

 of animals ? 



That wherever instinct predominates it has arrested 

 intellectual evolution. Insects possess marvellous 

 instincts which they obey blindly. The insect has 

 evolved perfectly steadily, but its evolution has led 

 it into a blind alley where all conscious progress seems 

 absolutely shut out. 



On the other hand, consider the vertebrates. In- 

 fallible instinct has given place to thought; fallible 

 indeed, but fruitful in that it implies and necessitates 

 effort. In them accordingly, the progress towards 

 consciousness is uninterrupted and allows all things to 

 hope. That which is true of instinct is still more true 

 of the mysterious faculties which are independent of 

 time and space. Imagine a man who could avail him- 

 self of these faculties in daily life, exercising at will the 

 power of reading the thoughts of others, of vision at a 

 distance, and of lucidity. Where would be the need 

 for reflection ; why should he calculate the effect of his 

 actions, foresee or strive ? He would make no errors 

 but also no efforts; and without effort there is no pro- 

 gressive consciousness. Like the insect, the man 

 would become but a marvellous piece of mechanism. 



An evolution thus impelled would not have resulted 

 in a higher degree of consciousness, but in some kind of 

 hypersensitive somnambulism allowing of man knowing 

 everything without understanding anything: the super- 

 man so produced would have been a kind of transcendental 

 automaton. At the present stage of evolution it is 

 therefore not merely well, but indispensable, that the 

 highest faculties, and all other psychological wealth 

 accumulated by man in his evolution should remain 

 subconscious and latent. Their latency does not prevent 

 these subconscious faculties from playing a considerable, 



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