ON THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THOUGHT AND ACTION, COMPARATIVE AND HUMAN, BY William Deter W. D. WILSON, D. D., LL. D., L. H. D., Professor of Logic and Metaphysics, in The Cornell University. с ITHACA, N. Y. : ANDRUS, McCHAIN & LYONS. 1871. Phil 5832.2 1872, May 16. Gist of the Author, of Ithaca, N.Y. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1871, by In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. PREFACE. I have called this work, "Lectures on Psychology," for the two-fold purpose of forestalling the expectation of finding the fulness and proportions of a complete treatise and of allowing myself a little more ease and latitude in the discussion of some of the points, than the proprieties of a regularly scientific presentation of facts and principles would allow. The most conspicuous feature of the works hitherto published in Mental Philosophy-or on Metaphysical Subjects, under any name, is the frequency with which abstract terms are used. I presume that if we should examine the works professing to treat of Psychology or the Philosophy of Mind-we should find that ninetenths at least, of all their discussions are occupied with either "ideas," or the "faculties" of the mind. But are "ideas" realities? Has the mind " faculties," as the body has organs and limbs for the performance of its functions? These are grave questions, and they |