168 MIND IN EVOLUTION CHAP. 



as compared with the judgment. Concrete experience 

 yields us knowledge of objects which are the meeting 

 points of many relations. An object in space, for instance, 

 is related to an indefinite number of surrounding objects. 

 One of these related objects, and perhaps one only, is 

 relevant to the purpose of the moment. To this object, 

 whether it is that suggested by the dominant Association 

 or not, our purpose will direct our thoughts. On another 

 occasion, a quite different object may be the one relevant 

 to our purpose, and the direction of our thought is altered 

 accordingly. Thus, while association brings up the same 

 ideas with dull uniformity, the purposive judgment selects 

 from the material presented by experience the relation 

 which it requires. 1 



IV. General Character of Concrete Experience and the 

 Practical Judgment. 



6. Concrete Experience consists in the perception of 

 surrounding objects in their changes and relations. The 

 elements of a percept being connected, a single experience 

 may have a permanent effect, shown in its capacity for 

 being revived. Such revival in relation to a present per- 

 ception constitutes the Practical Judgment of which the 

 unperceived elements are concrete ideas. An impulse 

 directed by such an idea is purposive, and constitutes a 

 Desire. Such is broadly the group of related psychological 

 elements which characterise the stage of Concrete Experi- 

 ence and the Practical Judgment. 



The use of experience in action has at this stage certain 

 distinctive features, through which it presents a well- 

 marked contrast with the work of Assimilation. 



The basis of action consists of data of experience in 

 their relations. Of these data, we observe that : 



(i) Only one experience is required as a basis of 

 future action. In the case of assimilation a single 

 experience may have an enduring though seldom a 

 permanent effect in directly checking or in forming a 

 conative tendency. In establishing any longer or more 



1 /.., so far as the purpose is dominant. In the concrete the stronger 

 association tends to conflict with the purpose, and may overwhelm it. I 

 am again contrasting limiting cases. 



