THE EVOLUTION OF THE MIND. 27 1 



tion of the nerve cells. All consciousness is "colonial 

 consciousness," the product of co-operation. It stands 



related to the action of individual cells 

 Colonial u ^1 ^ <■ • , , 



much as the content of a poem with the 

 consciousness. ^ 



words or letters composing it. Its ex- 

 istence is a phenomenon of co-operation. The /in man 

 is the expression of the co-working of the processes and 

 impulses of the brain. The brain is made of individual 

 cells, just as England is made of individual men. To 

 say that England wills a certain deed, or owns a certain 

 territory, or thinks a certain thought, is no more a figure 

 of speech than to say that "I will," "I own," or "I 

 think." The " England " is the expression of union of 

 the individual wills and thoughts and ownerships of 

 Englishmen. Similarly, my " Ego " is the expression of 

 the aggregate force resulting from co-ordination of the 

 elements that make up my body. 



The old dictum of the philosopher, " I think, there- 

 fore I am," is not literally and wholly true. " We think, 

 therefore we are," we the aggregation of 



°^* °' „ brain cells, would be quite as truthful, 



ergo sum. ^ 



But we brain cells do not think indi- 

 vidually ; only collectively or colonially. So no single 

 sentence can express the whole truth, nor can a trust- 

 worthy philosophy grow out of any single psychological 

 axiom. 



The development of the character is the formation 

 of the ego. It is in itself the co-ordination of the ele- 

 ments of heredity, the bringing into union of warring 



foundation upon which any belief can rest, and forms one of our 

 highest truths. If we find that the ascertainment of the order of 

 nature is facilitated by using one terminology or one set of sym- 

 bols rather than another, it is our clear duty to use the former; 

 and no harm can accrue so long as we bear in mind that we are 

 dealing merely with terms and symbols." 



