112 THE DOCTRINE OF ENERGY 



and objectivity of the sensible presentation. We 

 only deny that it is the real thing-in-itself. The 

 latter is not discovered by sense. My energetic 

 organism is like a well-fitting garment ; I do not 

 feel it at all. I feel only changes or transmuta- 

 tions taking place in it. Be not alarmed, therefore, 

 for your common-sense world. We leave it to 

 you intact and actual not deducting even a single 

 primary quality. Allowing fully for the extent 

 to which, little suspected by you, it is a mentally 

 constructed system, its elements are still actual and 

 objective ; they are modes of Reality ; extension 

 and the other primary qualities are qualities of 

 these modes. Moreover, the Ego, I, myself, as Will, 

 as a continuously identic intelligent agent, am not 

 given to myself immediately in my Presentment, 

 any more than is the real object. The existence of 

 my Ego, of my cogitant self, is an inference which 

 I am compelled to draw from the facts of my 

 mental activity. Cogito, ergo sum. Similarly, my ener- 

 getic organism is the real a-logical thing-in-itself 

 which I am compelled to postulate in order to 

 explain my perception of physical phenomena in 

 the light of my physical activity ; ago, ergo possum. 



We must not overlook the unique position in our 

 Presentment occupied by the visual presentation. 

 Its universality, simultaneousness, minute accuracy 



