SELF 227 



not in its physiology, at least, in the effects of physiol- 

 ogy. The simple emotions, as well as thoughts, such as 

 fear, hatred, affection, self-feeling, and sexual emo- 

 tions, are manifested by physiological marks on the 

 organs that display the phenomena. The physical 

 changes constitute emotion. 



SELF- CONSCIOUSNESS. We are self-conscious to the ex- 

 tent only that we can study with our sense organs the 

 vital functions of our bodies. Could the brain form a 

 conception of the real nature of the relation between the 

 subjective and objective, there would be added to con- 

 sciousness the most valuable knowledge it could obtain. 

 To know just how the different forms of energy, through- 

 out our environment act upon the great central plexus of 

 nerves, called the encephalon, in the way they do, so as 

 to produce, what we call consciousness, would give the 

 added power to know the reality itself. At present we 

 have a faint vision only, of the apparatus, by which the 

 wonderful phenomenon is accomplished, but cannot pene- 

 trate, with our vision, the abtruse process, except in 

 a very vague and indirect method of the anatomist 

 and physiologist, principally after death. The psycholo- 

 gist makes a working hypothesis also, which is 

 serving only in a way to arouse the highest forms of 

 intellectual effort. Now, some mental philosophers are 

 reaching out to find a workable method, beyond intel- 

 lect, that is, by intuition and metaphysics. These latter 

 they are compelled to treat after the principle of all 

 evolution, that is, that whatever is invoked, it must be 

 something in touch with, and having the same qualities, 

 in a higher degree, of the existing intellect of man. 

 It cannot be a creation of a power, by human effort of 

 a different and dissociated kind, independent of the 

 natural evolution of the psychical device. 



