THE PROGRESS OF PSYCHOLOGY. 783 



obtain equally in astronomy and chemistry. The phenomena of 

 the living body must in the end be subject to the principles of 

 physics, and physics must in the end become mechanics. But 

 sensation, attention, and feeling can never be reduced to matter 

 in motion. A complete correlation between mental and physical 

 changes may be established, but the most perfect knowledge of 

 the processes of the brain would of itself throw no light on the 

 nature of thought. The blind man will not learn to see by study- 

 ing the changes taking place in the combustion of a candle. Psy- 

 chology can never be made a branch of physiology. 



Laboratories of psychology are for the study of mental pro- 

 cesses. It would not be possible in a single article to give an 

 account of what has been accomplished by experimental psychol- 

 ogy, nor would tables, curves, and mathematical formulae prove 

 interesting reading. "The plain man," in Bishop Berkeley's 

 phrase, " undebauched by learning," is apt to ask, What is the good 

 of all this ? It may, therefore, be better to give several examples 

 of the practical application of the results of experimental psychol- 

 ogy. Pure science is not, indeed, an art whose end is to produce 

 changes in the course of Nature. Astronomy is commonly re- 

 garded as the noblest of the sciences, but we can not alter the 

 orbits of the planets, and the higher astronomy is not useful in 

 the affairs of daily life. Science is an end in itself, as are the fine 

 arts. It is good because it satisfies mental needs, and makes life 

 better worth the while. But material science, while searching for 

 truth, has not failed to contribute to the practical needs of society. 

 Its applications in the arts and manufactures have guided the 

 course of civilization. One man to-day can do the work which 

 required ten men a hundred years ago, and the poor have now 

 comforts and opportunities which were formerly not within the 

 reach of the rich. In like manner we shall probably find that 

 more exact knowledge of the mind will have many applications 

 in pedagogy, in political science, in medicine, in the fine arts, and, 

 indeed, in the whole conduct of life. 



Let us consider pedagogy. Our methods of education have 

 been greatly altered in the past few years, and more changes will 

 follow. But we go forward blindly, not seeing the way, often 

 retracing our steps. The poor children contribute to the progress 

 of educational methods somewhat as the frog contributes to the 

 progress of physiology. But we may hope to replace vague sur- 

 mises with exact knowledge. In our laboratories of psychology 

 we can test the senses and faculties of children. We can deter- 

 mine whether the course of study is developing or stunting funda- 

 mental characteristics, such as accuracy of perception, quickness 

 of thought, memory, reasoning, etc. We can learn what methods 

 best strengthen each of these faculties without injuring the others. 



