152 THE KIDDLE OF THE UNIVEKSE. 



called phylogenetic psychology, or, in contradistinction 

 to biontic (individual), phyletic psychogeny. And, 

 although this new science has scarcely been taken 

 up in earnest yet, and most of the ''professional" 

 psychologists deny its very right to existence, we 

 must claim for it the utmost importance and the 

 deepest interest. For, in our opinion, it is its special 

 province to solve for us the great enigma of the nature 

 and origin of the human soul. 



The methods and paths which will lead us to the 

 remote goal of a complete phylogenetic psychology — 

 a goal that is still buried in the mists of the future, 

 and almost imperceptible to many — do not differ from 

 those of other branches of evolutionary research. 

 Comparative anatomy, physiology, and ontogeny are 

 of the first importance. Much support is given also 

 by palaeontology, for the order in which the fossil 

 remains of the various classes of vertebrates succeed 

 each other in the course of organic evolution reveals 

 to us, to some extent, the gradual growth of their 

 psychic power as well as their phyletic connection. We 

 must admit that we are here, as we are in every 

 branch of phylogenetic research, driven to the con- 

 struction of a number of hypotheses in order to fill 

 up the considerable lacunae of empirical phylogeny. 

 Yet these hypotheses cast so clear and significant a 

 light on the chief stages of historical development 

 that we are afforded a most gratifying insight into 

 their entire course. 



The comparative psychology of man and the higher 

 animals enables us to learn from the highest group 

 of the placentals, the primates, the long strides by 

 which the human soul has advanced beyond the 

 psyche of the anthropoid ape. The phylogeny of 



