68 TWO THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE 



discussion as to the relations between the space 

 concepts of the blind and those of the vident. 

 The blind can be taught, and are taught, geometry, 

 and can discuss and understand spatial and geo- 

 metrical problems. The sensible furniture by 

 which the spatial conceptions of the blind are denoted 

 obviously cannot be visual, and are no doubt 

 largely tactual, whilst on the other hand the vident 

 utilise the visual data to the almost total exclusion 

 of any other. There must therefore be some 

 common measure by means of which a community 

 is established between the spatial conceptions 

 of the blind and those of the vident. M. Villey 

 concludes and clearly shows that the common 

 medium is to be found in the fact that our spatial 

 conceptions are fundamentally based upon and 

 are expressive of the discoveries of our exertional 

 activity. Touch, in short, is an ambiguous term 

 and includes both passive sensations and those 

 forms of Activity which we describe when we 

 use the term "feel" as a transitive verb. Just as 

 we distinguish between seeing and looking or 

 between hearing and listening, so should we dis- 

 . tinguish between touch passive and touch active 

 or palpation. 



The view of Science which we have endeavoured 



