198 The Evolution of Mind. 



of consciousness is subjecto-objective — a reflection of Self upon 

 Not-self ; or, in self-consciousness, it involves a differentiation of 

 Self from Not-self. In its lowest, undifferentiated form, con- 

 sciousness is mere sentience ; it apprehends the external world 

 through the primitive undifferentiated sense of feeling.* Its in- 

 ferences are crude and misleading on account of the limitations of 

 its scope — though the knowledge which it actually gives is true 

 knowledge. The evolution of mind proceeds pari-passu with that 

 of the organism, by interaction with environing conditions. As 

 higher stages in the evolution of life are reached, the revelations of 

 the simpler forms of consciousness are not contradicted ; they are 

 simply added to, and thus the crude inferences of the simpler con- 

 sciousness are corrected. The creation of either mind or matter 

 is inconceivable from the standpoint of Evolution. All science 

 assumes a realistic philosophical foundation. All knowledge is 

 therefore real knowledge of a real universe ; it is real knowledge, 

 though not complete knowledge — a knowledge of real relations 

 in external phenomena, as really related in and to the individual 

 consciousness. 



Professor Almon G. Merwin : — 



While interested in the lecture, I was, in a measure, disappoint- 

 ed. I had hoped to hear how the more complex states of con- 

 sciousness grew out of the simpler, as manifested in the lower 

 organisms — how the five senses, and a knowledge of the means 

 by which we communicate with the outer world, were developed. 

 Men have tried to change the vibrations causing sound into vibra- 

 tions causing taste. What is the common substratum of mental 

 substance underlying these different sense-perceptions ? In many 

 things I agree with the lecturer, but it seems to me — though I 

 suppose it was unavoidable — that he was largely speculative in 

 his theories and conclusions. 



Mr. Nelson J. Gates : — 



I had hoped that Dr. Eccles would give us more ideas with ref- 

 erence to the evolution of mind from the individual standpoint. 

 Beginning with the single nerve-cell there is a development by 

 the multiplication of cells. The steps in mental development have 

 proceeded along corresponding lines, and must have been preced- 

 ed or followed by a physical development. Will Dr. Eccles tell us 



* I do not mean, of course, our specialized sense of touch, which requires a 

 highly developed nerve-system. Of the special senses there is considerable ev- 

 idence that sight was the' first in order of evolution. Vide Binet, " The Psychic 

 Life of Micro-Organisms." 



