THE HISTORICAL SOCIOLOGISTS 1 73 



of the social interest the outer world attains a reality for sensation 

 which it does not possess psychologically. . . . The social in- 

 terest widens our individuality so that we accept the phenomena 

 of the outer world as integrating parts of the ego." x 



"In general," he says, "the development of the social interest 

 depends on the existence of such conditions as permit the physio- 

 logical and individual interests to take the background; the 

 higher interests come forth in the measure that the lower appear 

 to be secured. The physiological interest satisfied gives room for 

 the intellectual side of the individual interest, and the narrower 

 family development must be secured in order that the interest in 

 social relations may become lively." 2 



(e) The final mode of development of the inborn interest is the transcen- 

 dental. Fear manifested in lower animals in the presence of unusual noises and 

 terrifying phenomena of nature is a lower form of that which in man becomes 

 religion. 3 ... In man this usually takes the form of a sense of dependence 

 upon that Original Power which awakens his consciousness. Moreover this 

 sense of dependence is suppressed only as a result of man's attention being 

 given entirely to the satisfaction of his physical needs, or even more fre- 

 quently by the occupation of the mind in day-dreams as a result of a super- 

 abundance of goods. 4 



These inborn interests impel the organism to activities looking 

 toward their satisfaction. The satisfiers he in the environment, 

 physical and social, and in the case of the transcendental, not only 

 in the environment but within the individual himself; i. e., the 

 Urkraft is the background of all existence, and the conscious 

 apprehension of this is the result of a correct interpretation of all 

 experience including a direct intuition of the relationship existing 

 between the individual consciousness and the Urkraft of which it 

 is a part. 6 



These interests become in a sense forces, i. e., an interest un- 

 satisfied is a condition of mal-adaptation and gives rise to a feeling 

 of unrest and of discomfort. 6 The very nature of an organism is 

 to act in the line of satisfying its interests or needs. An organism 

 that did not thus react to such impulses would not survive. 7 



1 Erkennlnis, p. 62. * Ibid., p. 64. 7 Ibid., p. 106. 



2 Ibid., p. 62. 6 Ibid., p. 65. 



3 Ibid., p. 63. 5 Ibid., p. 252. 



