134 Chapter VII. 



As we have shown in previous chapters of this essay, 

 a confusion of ideas is answerable for these proposi- 

 tions. The power of association is unwarrantably taken 

 for intelligence. Even in man it is only the basis of 

 intelligence, the essence of which is not constituted by 

 associations of sense representations, but by the percep- 

 tion of their mutual relations. As the brain-cortex is 

 the necessary material organ of the power of associ- 

 ation in vertebrates, we readily admit that an essential, 

 although exterior connection exists, also in man, be- 

 tween the normal condition of his brain-cortex and his 

 intelligence. This fact is abundantly proved by the 

 inmates of our insane asylums. Indeed, the essential 

 connection between the brain-cortex and higher psychic 

 activity is even interior in all other vertebrates whose 

 sensitive power of association does not attain to the 

 level of spiritual intelligence. Still in admitting this 

 connection we warn against the danger of over-valuing 

 it. Thus the brain-cortex of birds is less developed 

 than that of reptiles. 1 Nevertheless, the power of as- 

 sociation of many birds is not only superior to that 

 of reptiles, but even of lower mammals, whose cerebral 

 cortex shows a far more perfect development. 



As so much reserve is required in rating the psychic 

 endowment of an animal, even a vertebrate, according 

 to the thickness of the brain-cortex, the error of judg- 

 ment is apparent on the part of those who transfer 

 this standard from vertebrate to articulate animals, and 

 maintain for instance that : "as ants have no brain- 

 cortex, they cannot have a power of association : and 

 that is is consequently wrong to compare their 'intelli- 



l ) See Edinger, op. cit., p. 152. 



