58 CONSCIOUSNESS 
of the term “ general idea ;” partly on our interpretation of 
what passes through the mind of the being concerned. We 
have sought, so far, rather to avoid than to answer these 
questions. We seem to be on safe ground so long as we 
content ourselves with saying that the orange and black of 
the cinnabar caterpillar, the strange footfall, or the trail of 
the mountaineer, enter as effective elements into the immediate 
conscious situation. 
But when we pass to the higher phases of mental develop- 
ment we can no longer wholly ignore such questions. When 
we are dealing with intellectual human beings, there can 
be no doubt that they at least are capable of framing, with 
definite intention, and of set purpose, both general and abstract 
conceptions. And how do they reach these conceptions? By 
reviewing a number of past situations, analyzing them, in- 
tentionally disentangling and isolating for the purposes of 
their thought certain elements which they contain, and 
classifying these abstracts under genera and species—that is 
to say, into broader and narrower groups. The primary and 
proximate object of this process is to reach a scheme of thought 
by which the scheme of nature, as given in experience, can be 
explained. And, no doubt, underlying this primary object is 
the purpose of guiding future behaviour in accordance with 
the rational scheme which is thus attained. Man is sometimes 
described as pur excellence the being who looks before and 
after. All his greatest achievements are due to his powers of 
reflection and foresight. 
What share the symbolism of speech takes in the process 
briefly indicated in the last paragraph is the subject of much 
discussion. Without going so far as to urge that the very 
beginnings of reflective thought are inexplicable without its aid, 
it may be accepted as obviously true that words are a great 
assistance. They may be regarded as intellectual pegs upon 
which we hang the results of abstraction and generalization. 
It may be said that we often think in pictures or images, and 
not in words; but the more abstract and general our thought, 
the more it is dependent on the symbolic elements. 
