New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-11
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,,oprrn oN rur HIIMAN INTELLECT.


Of the science which he has aimed to reduce to q
formal system in the body of the work. by psyehoi-
sey he understands the scientific knowledge OF the
,onl considered as a whole in distinction from SIN
ola class of its endOwments or functions IL differs
from physiology which treats of the material organ
ian of man. describing the special functions OF each
srgau and the combined activity of all in living
hein0 The phenomena of which it treats are made
known by consciousness and not by the senses. No
real knowledge of the soul he obtained except by
turning the gaze inward. We can learn the facts OF
our own spirit only by self-ObservatiOn. They may
be illustrated by ddactc essays by the records Of
history and biography by the creations Of poetry and
ssmance; but these can impart instruction to one
who is not cOgnizant of himself. To such man,
they speak IN an unknown tongue. They can pro-
duee no conceptions in the mind unless they
flied in its own experience.
But though founded on the inward consciousness
Of man. the facts of psychology argues Professor Per
ter form branch of universal physics of which the
phenomena have no less actuality than the phenonl
sna of the material world. They are distinguished
from the latter in having relation to space WILL
thought. memory. emotion are not referred 10 any
portion of matter, but to sef-cOnselOus agent "h
cut material attributes This agent tine conscious
Me or personal selfhood) is not identical even with
the material substance with which IL is most lntl
natelv cOnnected-the organized body by when IL
il connected with the material world. The SOUL &C
eerdng to the author is selfactive matter Is merit
Aha sonl is impeIed to action by its own inward
energy matter takes new form as II is acted upon
by an external force
The facts of CONSCIOUSNESS as has already been
aad furnish the materials of psychology But the
perceptions of the senses form large element in
the notices of consciousness The author maintains,
however III opposition 10 the materalists, that the
phenomena of the soul can never be explained by
the laws and relations of matter. In his opinion the
theories of the cerebral Psychologists afford no sou-
tion of the problem. The movements of the nerves
and nerve-cels can never supply sufficient data to
construct the science of the soul Professor Porter
admits the value of the facts set forth by the re-
searches of cerebral physiology. They are TO be re-
garded rs among the conditions of the souls activ
ties But there is evidence that they produce
those phenomena. They do not appear among the
elements of any psychological state No analysis
dscloses them, nor do they explain the capacity Of
the soul for knowledge and feeling. The cerebral
conditions in question might be supposed to exist
without the sequence of any mental phenomena
without perception, emotion, or thought. The
nervous system might perform all its functions with
ont q single psychological result.
Nor does the author admit the explanation of the
facts of consciousness the theory of association.
In opposition to the school, which has been ably rep
resented by Hobbies, Hume, Hartley Mill, BaiD and
Herbert Spencer, he maintains the existence OF an
original power Tor the perception Of necessary and
intuitive truths
Having laid the foundation for the reality Of
science of psychology, the author proceeds to an
analysis Of the human intellect as the organ of
KNOWLEDGE TO which subject he devOtes the remain
der of his bulky volume Following in the main the
lead of Sir William Hamilton he classes the facul-
ties of the intellect. the preventative, observing
faculty. the representative, creative faculty. the
thinking or the generalizng faculty; and the intui
tive faculty. or the power of perceying universal
and necessary truths, which is at the foundation of
ALI human knowledge.
The objects of intuition, however, arc not per 4
seived by the processes that distinguish the three
frst-named faculties of the intellect Their truth
and validity are not apprehended by these processes
but are involved in them. They not given in the
perceptions of the senses. They not felt by COLI
scousness. They are not reproduced in memory nor
represented by the creative Imagination. They are
neither proved by deduction, nor inferred by Undue
ton. But they are assumed in all these processes
and developed and brought to view in their exercise
In describing the character of intuitive truths or
primitive Judgments asalhoy have been called Pro-
fessor Porter shows that in the order otme they
not prior to other acts of knowledge. BY many they
even acquired at all The majority of men
do not think of them. Nor are they reached in any
case unless the intellect has been trained to capa
city for analysis and generalization. Without some
exercise in philosophical studies. their import and
application are not comprehended But they stand
before all other perceptions IN point Of logical i'm
p0rtance. They form the principles, or conditions
which render any original knowledge possible
Though few understand assent TO them when |
stated in speculative FORM all men cherish prac-
teal belief in their validity when presented in their
concrete applications I
The scope OF Professor Porter's work, as will be
by the rapid glance that hs4been taken Of his
fundamental positions is 20 reclaim the philosophy
Of mind from the materialistc tendencies which it
has received from the influence of several prominent
thinkers at the present day 1t u.s. in fact an organ
lied pOlemic against the theories of John Stuart Mill
Herbert Spencer, Professor Balm, and other modern
writers who have given impulse to the phi
iosophy O.sensation explanation of mental phe-
nomena. In the prosecution of his task lac eyinces
Il familiar acquaintance with the most celebrated
metaphysical theories. and extensive range of
philosophical and critical studies. For the most part
his r'"ihod is didactic, rather than controversial
though he never lose. sight Of his purpose to esab-
fish the so-eallod rational intuitiFe sSsIen OF ph
OsOphy IN opposition TO that which has received the
technical name of empirical the theory which re-
fers the origin of knowledge to the constitution Of
the intellect rather than to the notices Of experience
The volume indicates the capacity and habit Of pro-
iounA reflection a. well as Of stndious research It's
more remarkable for critical analytic skill than for
svthetic power TheauthOr often urges shrewd Objec
lions 10 the theories of the opposite school, keenlv
exposing the iuadequaoy of the premises on which
they rest and the faacy of the conclusions to which
they lead He doubtless succeeds in pointing ont