22 ORIGIN OF PHYSICAL CONCEPTS 



under which we enter upon our organic existence. 

 Freedom is a negation of the Actual. Absolute 

 freedom is a condition only theoretically possible, 

 and is essentially the negation of the state of re- 

 straint in which our life is maintained. 



But the definition last quoted is nevertheless 

 valuable because it clearly shows what really is 

 the origin of the idea of Space. It proves that 

 the idea of Space is a representation of one con- 

 dition of our Activity. It is because the primary 

 work of Thought is to represent the forms of our 

 dynamic Activity that we find the idea of Space 

 so necessary and fundamental. 



But it will perhaps be argued that our ordinary 

 sensations carry with them a spatial meaning and 

 implication, and that indirectly, therefore, our 

 sensations do supply us with the idea of Space. 

 It will readily be agreed that if this is so of any 

 sensations it is pre-eminently true of the sensa- 

 tions of vision and touch. Indeed, it will perhaps 

 not be disputed that the ordinary vident man 

 derives from the sensations of vision his most 

 common spatial conceptions. We propose, there- 

 fore, to inquire very briefly how the character of 

 spatial extension becomes associated with the data 

 of Vision. 



The objects of Vision appear to be displayed 



