Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1859-04-05
Physiological Lefters.-No. '.

hiihu winch ali are agreed nave Tor lielr lile-
date anteeedents, certain states OF the bodily
gans The proxirnate cause of every sensation
Is some peculiar affection of the nervous system
Tnis affection may arise from the action of some
external agent. or be the result of some previous
mental STATE, or so'ue pathological condi-
ton of the nerves
Sensation, emotion. thought, and yoIi,ion, az
species Of the genus feeling. which comprises
all states Of mental consciousness; and our
various feelings, both those called physical,
and these peculiarly designated a. tai. 10
gether, constitute the phenomena Of mind
Therefore most elementary conception OF
mind Is that which feels
Ky thought. we mean that Of which we are
conscious. or What passes in The mind when Ne
think, from the simplest act OF consciousness to
the most elaborate effort; not that object exter-
nal to the mind. Of which a person may be said
10 be thinking. In like manner. sensation
should be carefully distinguished fr.n the OBJ
iect causing II, and also from that state of the
bodily organs immediately preceding The sen
sation, which state constitutes the physical
agency which the sensation depends
I Thus, when person sees any color, say red,
that Of which he i conscious. IS : feeling. SEN
saton Of the red color; bat the picture on hi,
retina, or The phenomenon which takes place ia
lis optic nerve in his brain is entirely an
other lining. Of which lie i whulIy unconscious
and about which ne would remain in profound
/ ignorance. except for the knowledge furnished
him by scientific Investigations. The sensation
of red, Is the result OF that particular condition
+ of his body, not the condition itself: and The
mind Is what perceive>. or i conscious Of tie
sensation.
( Whether psychologists may ever be able to
determine the kind of relation subsis;ing be-
tween mind and matter; sensation and material
mechanism; and whether emotions. thoughts
and volitions are generated through material
agency, like sensation proper, OF whether We
have organs of thought, after the same manner
that We have organs of sense. are among those
oceult questions OF scieace which VIII rcaaire
much tim and Tatierc col ;oired i'll co,.srn4-
mate abilities, for their final calculation But
to the general proposition, thai the brain is the
organ OF the iniRd, We suppose that no lntelli-
gent person Of the present day, disscnrs for that
+ Is common ground CA which both Materials
and sIiritualist can freely meet; from which
however they proceed in opposite directions
/ Thus one class Of philosophers believe tia.
/ al. the operations of the mind, are only mani
iestatious expressions of material changes in
The molecular constitution of the brain: hat. in
+ point OF fact, is really a true thinking
machine his actions being determined by
! his original constitution cooperating with all
/ other conditions OF his existence over which Re
has no control; in short, that every person
conduct is the necessary consequence OF the re-
action OF his cerebrum upon all those cIrcum-
/ stances capable OF influencing lis action
/ On the other hand, there are very many who
believe that the mind l. a distinct eutit- per S.
having a seperate immatcrial existence apart
/ from organization and matter. that it : capable
/ Of operating and that 1t does operate iudepea-
/ IDENTIFY OF material agency; and that if las 10
/ necessary conncciIoa with corporcal cNistcl.ce<,
bat that IN acquiring It's know ledge of material
things and IN executing is deter1nin;.t ions a,ut
/ them, 1t Is uccessitatcd to oTerate through
/ material suhstratum (the brain and nervous svs-
tenn whereby the subjective experience Of one
may become objective material to others
Now whether the nervous system of animals
be the generator OF mind IN a creative sense: or
Thether It be only the Instrument upon which
the mind, as a distinct entity. plays: We can
not now stop to discuss: but in either case. we
mus look to the brain a. the in,ueE.t. source
of all mental phenomena.
Among those phenomena. none are more de-
serving of notice. at this time tla,, the class #
yolitions. We are all conscious Of rosses-i.-
certain Inherent power. vsrvjn,.. +, = the
greatly in different individuals. nevertheless. \
power Of seIf-determination. self-con,r.J. = ,-;Y
this being n fact Of consciousness. cannot IL.
gainsayed \ person wills to move his hand.
and the hand ehevs the mandate 4, ..,.;.l.lq
'''''S suisse .'''-''
e'e''i9 ~ accompany '1 Fu-l'l'h All acts Per