New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-11
Memories Vanish by a Blow.


IN calls attention TO The fact ina
mind is always Joined 20 body tnat ''s
condition depends on the condition OF
,n. bod,.. f.it the will which rs We saw
IN q pr...i.ue lecture is the chief e''-
mont OF mind ~ dependent TOT lls eN-
.r,les ON tie condition Of certain paris
NJ the brain II shows US that the mem
or,. or words has been localized IN Ger
,otp sections Of the brain. FOR when these
sections are paralyzed by blow tHeSe
memories perish-propet names noun 20
,siectiyes and verbs di-appear 10 the
order named.
'V-h, can't We. then as science "o"'
have MS do. view an Wenla. states as
uurelv physical conditions OF the oi"1' !.
A. sicr a view were correct cerebral
dictionary could in theory at least o'
formed stating the precis" relation Ue-
,wean cerebral aud mental Iacts. \
now.rfu enough Intelligence cou!I. fom
tho merely physical condition of the BRAIN
d.duco the past and future h!stor, "t TN"
individual vino owned H.
Let rs follow this chain OF thought
more closely: ON the one hand. science
suggests that consciousness Is lerhapS
hut a light struck by the friction oi NdI-
ous elements in the brain; on the o'"'-'
,boti il tn. translation IN mental terms
of what the brain expresses IN Phl s'0'''
I,itb.r az these interpretations OF con-
sciousucss IS the negaton 81 iIee Will
both were current I'm the seventeenth cen
,u,.,. and the fact that they originated
befor. the birth OF modern science shouIu
make us skeptical OF the sclenthc origin
that il claimed for them.
.The second theory-that consciousness
H. m. translation into mental terms %
what the state Of the brain translates into
phvsical-is traceable 10 the metaphysics
M the seventeenth century, which III
turn. derives from the mathematical nat
ure of the human mind. from rs prone
ness TO a determinism when Woulu po'"
Salty its desire for definite eNpilhauoh9
and enlarge It's field of action by siNHiS "
a precise view OF definite and constant
laws the knowledge or which is the hrst
condition Of successful action
Modern metaphysics consists III seher-
ol,zinr algebra. the mathematics OF rela-
tIons Az the metaphysics of the ancients
consisted i'm generalizing geometry. From
Kan, 10 Descartes metaphysics expressed
the hope OF reducing metaphysical prob
lens 10 mathematical terms. We can ioi-
low the initiation 81 such nope INTO
science. We should remember, however
that the affiimations of science are bat ar
bitrary theories and the proofs they
supp.v often extremely dubitahle
rake. for instance. the way science
,ses the law OF the conservation of energy
as an argument against free will. Science
tells us that a the supply OF energy IN
tho world IS constant. free will is impos-
sible. for a free act would IMPLY the cfed-
ton of something new, or IN other words
fine bringing OF fresh energy into the
world.
such reasoning bees the question, Tor
il applics IA law derived from inorganic
matter. in which the human Will does NOT
intervene, To organic, in which IL does
and who can aiYirm that the action OF the
will is not the creation Of energy? The
processes of nature indicate an effort to
use the smallest possible energy to release
the greatest possible forces, as one oy
touching trigger eXplodes a revolver.
Mature seems to store the greatest pos
sible amount Of potential energy that 1t
may be used by will with the least posi-
BILE effort: it is as though she were trying
10 elude the law of the conservation OF
energy, to eludo the determinism by
which effects are rigidly proportional to
their causes in order 10 increase the lib
city Of action Of living beings