39 



nervous actions which constitute thought and feeling, as also 

 the discharge of feeling into action, we no less found this 

 principle conspicuous. Nor did we discover any exception 

 to it in the movements, temporary and permanent, that go on 

 in societies." 1 Another instance of the operation of this 

 universal principle is given by Spencer in the following: "That 

 continual division and subdivision of forces, which is instru- 

 mental in changing the uniform into the multiform, we saw to 

 be at the same time a process by which force is perpetually 

 dissipated; and that dissipation, continuing as long as there 

 remains any force unbalanced by an opposing force, must end 

 in rest. This general principle, like the preceding ones, proved 

 to be traceable throughout all forms of evolution astronomic, 

 geologic, biologic, mental and social." 2 



Having adopted the position of the universal applicability 

 of his formula of evolution, Spencer proceeds, in his ' Principles 

 of Psychology', to show in what way mental phenomena may 

 be interpreted "in terms of the redistribution of matter and 

 motion." "Specifically stated," he says, "the problem is to 

 interpret mental evolution in terms of the redistribution of 

 matter and motion. Though under its subjective aspect mind 

 is known only as an aggregate of states of consciousness, 

 which cannot be conceived as forms of matter and motion? and 

 which do not therefore necessarily conform to the same laws 

 of redistribution ; yet under its objective aspect, mind is known 

 as an aggregate of activities manifested by an organism as 

 the correlative therefore of certain material transformations 

 which must come within the general process of material evolu- 

 tion, if that process is to be universal." 4 That is to say, mental 

 evolution is to be interpreted in terms of the redistribution of 

 matter and motion. As, subjectively, mind cannot be thus 

 conceived, and therefore does not necessarily conform to these 

 laws of redistribution, the difficulty is to be solved by 

 interpreting mind by means of the activities of the physical 

 organism. 



(2) Problem of the External World. 



The main trend of Spencer's thought may be indicated in 

 his own words as far as possible, in what apparently is an 

 attempt to lay a physiological foundation for the science of 

 psychology according to the standpoint referred to by 

 M. Ribot. That Spencer attempts to do exactly this, which 



'O.C Sec. 140. 



2 Ibid. 



3 Italics mine. 



4 Herbert Spencer, " Principles of Psychology", 3rd edition, 221. 



