CHAP. X.] THE SCOPE OF MIND. 153 



greater and greater complexities of thought and feeling 

 are rendered possible, the more will it become evident that 

 the sphere of mind cannot at any time be circumscribed 

 by the then present or possible states of Consciousness, 

 the more it is obvious that in our conception of mind we 

 should also include all past stages of Consciousness, 

 which now in the form of unconscious nerve actions 

 are, from moment to moment, manifesting themselves 

 potentially, if not actually, in all our present Thoughts, 

 Feelings, and Volitions." 



Certain qualifications of this doctrine are now intro- 

 duced, since, for reasons which will be more fully con- 

 sidered in later chapters, those tracts of the Nervous 

 System exclusively concerned with the passage of ' out- 

 going currents ' are now deemed to have no more claim 

 to be regarded as parts of the ' organ ' of Mind than 

 has the Muscular System itself, with which they are in 

 immediate relation. 



The views above sketched, are different from those 

 commonly entertained by physiologists, and they also 

 differ, in one or other respect, from those of modern British 

 philosophers such as Spencer, Lewes and Bain. They 

 differ, however, still more widely from the views of other 

 philosophical writers who, not having emancipated them- 

 selves from the mere metaphysical doctrines concerning 

 Mind, habitually regard it as an entity, and speak of 

 ' the Mind ' using the Brain as its instrument. 



This latter doctrine, which still counts a wide circle 

 of adherents, and is likely, perhaps, to do so for some 

 time, has been aptly met by Professor Bain. He says :* 

 " In the first place it assumes that we are entitled to 

 speak of Mind apart from body, and to affirm its powers 



" Mind and Body," p. 130. 



