New-York tribune., 1867-08-08
NER PUBLICATIONS.

IL 81 coz
has heon generally Acknowledged by the stuuou'0 oA
6,o, ra+,re since the middle OF the last century
when a powerful impulse was given " - ' ii a.
the French philosophy OF the mater l"i'''S
1ba head of this movement we may pcIn"P' i'C"
80 80 Cobanis who took mp the subject where
st had been left by the meCaPnSSo9 VI ~ ~,
bieb attempted to explain all the luncuohs Vi INC
~ NV the princple of sensation. Taking an adj
- sten in the same direction as his predecessor
Chaois maintained that all sensibillty resides IN
Che nerves so all the moral affections and the lnte-
leetua faculties are the product of the nervous sys
aem. Impressions received on the perpheral nerves
and carried to the centers, excite reaction IN
the organization, and are transmitted into ideas and
emotions. The distinction between physical nature
and moral nature is therefore untenable the moral
faculties have their origin in the physical and we
must look to physiology for the solution of all the
moral and mental problems on which philosophers
have vainly speculated for ages
These extreme views were modified by Cabanis
himself in the latter part of his life, and through the
vigorous pOlemics of such writer's Maine de Brian,
Iaromigui6re Royer-Collard and others, ceased to
exercise any considerable influence the leaders of
opinion in France although they did not fail to pre-
sent many suggestive illustrations of the connection
between the organization of the body and the phe-
nOmena of the mind. Within few years past, how
ever-partly owing no doubt to the effect of the so
called Positive Philosophy of COmte-a new interest
has been awakened in the physiological relations OF
the mind striking proof of whichs presented IN the
volume of which we shall proceed to give our reao
ers brief account II what follows, IL VIII DC coh
venient to adopt the point of view OF the author'
and the physiological school which he represents
stating the course of argument on when they rely,
and attempting to do justice to their ideas without
using their language.
Whatever may be the final verdict concerning the
relation of Bacon to the Inductive Philosophy,
the physiological school maintain that IT Is
not to be denied that the wonderful growth OF mod
ern science has been due to great change in methods
of inquiry The fundamental idea of the old philos-
ophy and the cause of its fruitlesSness was an e1a
gerated estimate Of the power and competency Oh
rure tboucht TO explain the phenomena of the out
ward world The human mind, IN It's early meApe-
rience assuming itself to be the source OF truth and
the measure of nature attempted to dive within and
bring out the secrets of being, by the simple and
naked power Of reflection. The inversion OF TINS
proceeding the turning the mind outward as well as
inward and the recognition of the principle that
knowledge of nature can only come through tho
study of nature, gave origin to the sciences ActVe
and searching observation, the persistent and lmpor
innate questioning and crOss-questOning of nature
sagacious guessing intuitye insight feryor OF mag
nation audacious boldness of conjecture, patient
Wondering aproper spirit of humility and self-renu-
citation which led to merciess testing and sitting OF
resnlts-these are the characteristics OF the method
which gave org gin to modern knowledge.
But even with the true mode of inquiry established
and attested the task of unfolding the order of ma
ture was too vast for generatiOn it turned out to
be slow work of time in fact nothing less than inc
great intellectual occupation of humanity. Centu-
ries were consumed in opening single departments OF
inquiry. While the seventeenth century is charac-
terzed as having grappled with the physical aspects
of the unverse-with its grand and massive phenom-
ena-the eighteenth was signalzed by its iLyesug;-
tions into the inner constitution OF matter ana the
nineteenth is contased with its predecessors by its
systematic Investigations of the organic world
physiology, biology, or the sciences OF me-
It's surprising how difficult, even impossible, 1t
seemed to transfer the rules and methods Of nvcsi-
cation which had proved effective in field, to
other department of inquiry. Notwithstanding all
that the physicists had done to elucidae unfold and
exempify true method of inquiry, the chemists had
to fight the battle again in their own territory
and notwithstanding the brilliant results which they
also achieved the obstacles still seemed great
ever to the adoption of strictly nductive method in
the domain of physiology. Ahundred years after this
method had been accepted as the guiding and con-
structive principle of science physiology still far
In the rear; still affair of amlesS and fruitless
speculation. Psychology or the science Of mind in
its broadest sense, is a still higher term Ct the scien
tifc SERIES As there could have been no physiology
without prior chemistry so there can be no true
psychology without a physiological basis and be-
cause physiology is so recent and imperfect and is
even yet struggling for establishment upon pure in
ductiye principles psychology, which presupposes it
and depends upon it, is hardly yet permitted to take
rank as q regular science.
1t is often charged that in this practical age, so
lost in the mad pursuit Of material interests there is
little chance for the loftier forms of speculative
thought and that the higher questions Of mind are
neglected as unworthy of attention in the furious
race for utilitarian good That there is a general
conviction Of the emptiness of metaphysical study,
and disinclnaton TO engage in it, is undoubtedly
true; but the alleged is far from being salts
factory When the aim of psychology is distinctly
presented-to arrive at a clear and comprehensive
knowledge of mental operations its superior I'M
portance and the necessity for its advancement will
be acknowledged by all Its relations to the other
sciences and to the arts and activities of life regal
and controlling; they all depend upon II for first
principles The moralist looks here to gain light on
the nature and authority of conscience the Iegis
1atOr TO find guide for estimating the degree of
erininaity in doubtful cases; the educatonist for
data which to base an Ineligible schemeo men
tai cultures the physician for guidance in the proper
treatment of insanity; and the theologan for aid in
tracing the essential Characterization of mans religious
nature. 1t is certainly not from indifference that
this class of questions has lattery received less at
tention than belongs to them, but from q conviction
that the right method has not yet been generally ap-
phed. Our practical age is educated In this spirit
and it has had no difficulty in contrasting the re-
markable frutfulness of physical investigation with
the general unfruitfuneSs Of metaphysics. Instead
dat fuifa