8 THE WORLD-ENERGY 



mode in which such external world comes within the 

 range of the individual consciousness. And it is to be 

 remarked that the simplest phase of the mind's activity is 

 precisely that through which the mind comes into relation 

 with this external world. That the experience of every 

 individual necessarily begins with and in sensation, is a 

 philosophic truism. It is, then, of the first importance to 

 ascertain the conditions under which sensation can and 

 must take place. 



It is evident, first of all, that there are two phases of 

 these conditions. The one phase is subjective the phase 

 in which the mind itself is specially considered. The 

 other phase is objective the phase in which "objects/' 

 in the sense of things of the external world, are specially 

 attended to. Every sensation necessarily implies an act of 

 an individual mind and also an object other than such 

 individual mind, which yet the individual mind seizes 

 upon. Sensation is a concrete relation between subject 

 and object, and its primary condition is the direct " con- 

 tact " between the two factors concerned. 



Of this concrete relation between subject and object 

 there are many degrees. It is that degree of such con- 

 crete relation in which the subject seizes upon the object 

 so as to result in a definite and more or less abiding 

 "impression" or "image" in the mind that is appropri- 

 ately termed perception. 



But this perception, this seizure and appropriation of 

 the object by the mind, through the sensory organs, 

 implies that the object perceived is specially characterized 

 by externality. It is made up of parts which are outside 

 one another. Whence it is evident that the object of 

 sensation is necessarily in space. 



