622 
tremely loath to admit that the analysis of the 
motor and sensory systems is impossible, or 
that it will finally be necessary to postulate 
any agency which transcends matter and 
energy as we ordinarily know them, to com- 
plete that analysis. I would strongly insist 
that even our present methods of analysis 
have not as yet been shown incapable of yield- 
ing further information. I am not quite sure, 
from reading Professor Franz’s paper, of his 
position in regard to localization of the motor 
system, or of certain sensory systems, but I 
have given this survey of them in order better 
to show by comparison, that similar methods 
may be applied to the analysis of mental proc- 
esses. 
For my part I find it impossible to gain a 
clear idea of how the brain functions as a 
whole in motor processes. I do believe, how- 
ever, that we may gain a certain degree of 
clearness of ideas if we suppose that certain 
definite circumscribed cell areas, and no 
others, acting through their association tracts, 
may evoke a definite motor reaction, and no 
other motor reaction. Similarly, I find it ex- 
tremely difficult to see how the brain, acting 
as a whole and without reference to circum- 
scribed cerebral areas or to integration systems 
involving two or more such areas, may give 
rise to a mental process. I can picture to 
myself a conceivable way in which several cell 
groups or systems, acting together in a par- 
ticular manner and without special reference 
to the rest of the brain, may give rise to a par- 
ticular mental process or conception made up 
of certain definite mental elements which are 
related in a definite way. Other parts of the 
brain may subsequently be involved in suc- 
ceeding mental processes, but a definite order 
of succession may well be followed. This is, 
as I take it, the only fundamental difference 
between Professor Franz and the advocates of 
cerebral localization. It appears to me that 
the localizationists, or phrenologists if you 
please, have somewhat the better of the 
argument, inasmuch as one very valuable 
method of getting at the working of a mechan- 
ism as a whole is by taking it to pieces and 
studying the properties and reactions of each 
SCIENCE 
[N.S. Von. XXXV. No. 903 
piece separately, and attempting to determine 
the relations of the pieces to one another. 
The validity of each view must, however, be 
determined by the results which it can produce 
when applied to the analysis of nervous func- 
tions. 
To many of us, mental states mean the re- 
sultant of the various sensory impressions of 
the moment, modified, it may be, by stored-up 
impressions of past incidents—the memory of 
past sensory impressions. To many of us, it 
appears, also, that sensory impressions are 
closely connected, in a dynamical way, with 
certain definitely localized anatomical mechan- 
isms in the central nervous system. If it be 
true that there exist in the central nervous 
system such integrative sensory mechanisms, 
and if it also be true that mental states are 
but the integration, in a definite sequence in 
space and time of these sensory impressions, 
it follows that there must also be localization 
of mental processes with reference to these 
integrative mechanisms. It may be that our 
views of definitely localized integrative 
mechanisms and their functions are un- 
founded, but they appear to be the simplest 
views which, in the light of our present 
knowledge, we are justified in retaining. 
This is not to insist that any one shall be- 
come a new phrenologist against his will, but 
is meant simply as a justification for those to 
whom it still appears that localization of fune- 
tion, in the sense of its dependence upon the 
action of localized integrative mechanisms, 
“is a wholesome doctrine and very full of com- 
fort.” F. H. Pixs 
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY, 
CoLuMBIA UNIVERSITY 
MR. DOOLEY ON SCIENCE: BEING A PROTEST AGAINST 
THE VIOLENCE OF THE GENETICIST 
“ ScrmenceE is a great thing, Hinnissy,” said 
Mr. Dooley. “Av coorse t? a man av yer 
onidjicashun th’ rale progriss iv science manes 
but little, but to thousands iv collidge profissors 
tis the brith av life. Av coorse ’tisn’t much 
iv a livin’ the pore divils git, but th’ likes iv 
them don’t nade t’ spind money like you and 
me—them havin’ no bad habits.” 
