CHAPTER III 



THE BIRTH OP THE SPIRIT 



HAS the child a soul? Lotze places the proof of 

 a soul in the possession of a unity of conscious- 

 ness. The test seems to be that a being having a 

 soul (or a rational spirit) is one that recognizes 

 itself as one being, or the experiences which it 

 has as belonging to its one self. It is doubtful if 

 the child can stand this test. His reactions 

 against the external world are purely nervous. 

 The nerves feel pain, but the child is not conscious 

 of a pained self. His hands and feet are as ex- 

 ternal to his consciousness as any other objects 

 he may see. To say that he has a potential soul, 

 a something that will come to unity of conscious- 

 ness soon, may be true enough. It is immaterial 

 to our discussion, and its investigation would lead 

 us far afield. It is enough to notice that such a 

 soul is of no value to his present constitution of 

 moral character. 



That the new-born child has an animal soul, 

 a forming principle which builds his body and 

 animates it, is beyond question. As much pos- 

 sibly can be said for the cell which was its start- 

 ing-point of being. But that he has not a ra- 



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