The Mind and Its Education

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Problems In Observation and Introspection
2007-06-21 08:45:00
PROBLEMS IN OBSERVATION AND INTROSPECTION One should always keep in mind that psychology is essentially a laboratory science, and not a text-book subject. The laboratory material is to be found in ourselves and in those about us. While the text should be thoroughly mastered, its statements should always be verified by reference to one's own experience, and observation of others. Especially should prospective teachers constantly correlate the lessons of the book with the observation of children at work in the school. The problems suggested for observation and introspection will, if mastered, do much to render practical and helpful the truths of psychology. 1. Think of your home as you last left it. Can you see vividly just how it looked, the color of the paint on the outside, with the familiar form of the roof and all; can you recall the perfume in some old drawer, the taste of a favorite dish, the sound of a familiar voice in farewell? 2. What illustrations have you observed whe...
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Where Conciousness Resides
2007-06-20 08:41:00
WHERE CONSCIOUSNESS RESIDES I, the conscious self, dwell somewhere in this body, but where? When my finger tips touch the object I wish to examine, I seem to be in them. When the brain grows weary from overstudy, I seem to be in it. When the heart throbs, the breath comes quick, and the muscles grow tense from noble resolve or strong emotion, I seem to be in them all. When, filled with the buoyant life of vigorous youth, every fiber and nerve is a-tingle with health and enthusiasm, I live in every part of my marvelous body. Small wonder that the ancients located the soul at one time in the heart, at another in the pineal gland of the brain, and at another made it coextensive with the body! Consciousness Works through the Nervous System.Later13 science has taught that the mind resides in and works through the nervous system, which has its central office in the brain. And the reason why I seem to be in every part of my body is because the nervous system extends to every part, carryi...
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Content Of the Mental Stream
2007-06-19 08:26:00
CONTENT OF THE MENTAL STREAM We have seen that our mental life may be likened to a stream flowing now faster, now slower, ever shifting, never ceasing. We have yet to inquire what constitutes the material of the stream, or what is the stuff that makes up the current of our thought - what is the content of consciousness? The question cannot be fully answered at this point, but a general notion can be gained which will be of service. Why We Need Minds.Let us first of all ask what mind is for, why do animals, including men, have minds? The biologist would say, in order that they may adapt themselves to their environment. Each individual from10 mollusc to man needs the amount and type of mind that serves to fit its possessor into its particular world of activity. Too little mind leaves the animal helpless in the struggle for existence. On the other hand a mind far above its possessor's station would prove useless if not a handicap; a mollusc could not use the mind of a man. Content ...
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Attention and Conciousness
2007-06-18 08:13:00
The Wave in the Stream of Consciousness.The surface of our mental stream is not level, but is broken by a wave which stands above the rest; which is but another way of saying that some one thing is always more prominent in our thought than the rest. Only when we are in a sleepy reverie, or not thinking about much of anything, does the stream approximate a level. At all other times some one object occupies the highest point in our thought, to the more or less complete exclusion of other things which we might think about. A thousand and one objects are possible to our thought at any moment, but all except one thing occupy a secondary place, or are not present to our consciousness at all. They exist on the margin, or else are clear off the8 edge of consciousness, while the one thing occupies the center. We may be reading a fascinating book late at night in a cold room. The charm of the writer, the beauty of the heroine, or the bravery of the hero so occupies the mind that the weary eye...
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The Nature Of Conciousness
2007-06-16 15:46:00
Inner Natur e of the Mind Not Revealed by Introspection.We are not to be too greatly discouraged if, even by introspection, we cannot discover exactly what the mind is. No one knows what electricity is, though nearly everyone uses it in one form or another. We study the dynamo, the motor, and the conductors through which electricity manifests itself. We observe its effects in light, heat, and mechanical power, and so learn the laws which govern its operations. But we are almost as far from understanding its true nature as were the ancients who knew nothing of its uses. The dynamo does not create the electricity, but only furnishes the5 conditions which make it possible for electricity to manifest itself in doing the world's work. Likewise the brain or nervous system does not create the mind, but it furnishes the machine through which the mind works. We may study the nervous system and learn something of the conditions and limitations under which the mind operates, but this is not st...
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How The Mind Is To Be Known
2007-06-16 07:34:00
The Personal Character of Consciousness. Mind can be observed and known. But each one can know directly only his own mind, and not another's. You and I may look into each other's face and there guess the meaning that lies back of the smile or frown or flash of the eye, and so read something of the mind's activity. But neither directly meets the other's mind. I may learn to recognize your features, know your voice, respond to the clasp of your hand, but the mind, the consciousness, which does your thinking and feels your joys and sorrows, I can never know completely. Indeed I can never know your mind at all except through your bodily acts and expressions. Nor is there any way in which you can reveal your mind, your spiritual self, to me except through these means.It follows therefore that only you can ever know you and only I can ever know I in any first-hand and immediate way. Between your consciousness and mine there exists a wide gap that cannot be bridged. Each of us lives a...
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CHAPTER 12 - THINKING
2007-03-17 07:26:00
1. Different types of thinking:Chance, or idle thinkingUncritical beliefAssimilative thinkingDeliberative thinking2. The function of thinking:Meaning depends on relationsThe function of thinking is to discover relationsNear and remote relationsChild and adult thinking 3. The mechanism of thinking: Sensations and percepts as elements in thinking 4. The concept:The concepts serve to group and classifyGrowth of a conceptDefinition of conceptLanguage and the conceptThe necessity for growing concepts 5. Judgment:Nature of judgmentJudgment used in percepts and conceptsJudgment leads to general truthsThe validity of judgments 6. Reasoning:Nature of reasoningHow judgments function in reasoningDeduction and the syllogismInductionThe necessity for broad inductionThe interrelation of induction and deduction7. Problems in observation and introspection
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CHAPTER 11 - MEMORY
2007-03-10 07:52:00
1. The nature of memory:What is retainedThe physical basis of memoryHow we rememberDependence of memory on brain quality 2. The four factors involved in memory:RegistrationRetentionRecallRecogni tion 3. The stuff of memory: Images as the material of memoryImages vary as to typeOther memory material 4. Laws underlying memory:The law of associationThe law of repetitionThe law of recencyThe law of vividness 5. Rules for using the memory:Wholes versus partsRate of forgettingDivided practiceForcing the memory to actNot a memory, but memories 6. What constitutes a good memory:A good memory selects its materialA good memory requires good thinkingMemo ry must be specialized7. Memory devices:The effects of crammingRemembering isolated factsMnemonic devices 8. Problems in observation and introspection
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CHAPTER 10 - ASSOCIATION
2007-03-07 11:55:00
1. The nature of association:The neural basis of associationAssociation the basis of memoryFactors determining direction of recallAssociation in thinkingAssociation and action2. The types of association: Fundamental law of associationAssociation by contiguityAt the mercy of our associationsAssociation by similarity and contrastPartial, or selective, associationThe remedy3. Training in association:The pleasure-pain motive in associationInterest as a basis for associationAssociation and methods of learning 4. Problems in observation and introspection
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CHAPTER 9 - IMAGINATION
2007-03-06 12:31:00
1. The place of imagination in mental economy:Practical nature of imaginationImagination in the interpretation of history, literature, and artImagination and scienceEveryday uses of imaginationThe building of ideals and plansImagination and conductImagination and thinking 2. The material used by imagination:Images the stuff of imaginationThe two factors in imaginationImagination limited by stock of imagesLimited also by our constructive abilityThe need of a purpose3. Types of imagination: Reproductive imaginationCreative imagination 4. Training the imagination:Gathering of material for imaginationWe must not fail to buildWe should carry our ideals into action 5. Problems for observation and introspection
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CHAPTER 8 - MENTAL IMAGES AND IDEAS
2007-03-03 05:51:00
1. The part played by past experience:Present thinking depends on past experienceThe present interpreted by the pastThe future also depends on the pastRank determined by ability to utilize past experience 2. How past experience is conserved:Past experience conserved in both mental and physical termsThe image and the ideaAll our past experience potentially at our command 3. Individual differences in imagery:Images to be viewed by introspectionThe varied imagery suggested by one's dining tablePower of imagery varies in different peopleImagery types 4. The function of images:Images supply material for imagination and memoryImagery in the thought processesThe use of imagery in literaturePoints where images are of greatest service 5. The cultivation of imagery: Images depend on sensory stimuliThe influence of frequent recallThe reconstruction of our images 6. Problems in introspection and observation
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CHAPTER 7 - PERCEPTION
2007-02-28 12:03:00
1. The function of perception:Need of knowing the material worldThe problem which confronts the child 2. The nature of perception:How a percept is formedThe percept involves all relations of the objectThe content of the perceptThe accuracy of percepts depends on experienceNot definitions, but first-hand contact3. The perception of space:The perceiving of distanceThe perceiving of direction4. The perception of time:Nature of the time senseNo perception of empty time 5. The training of perception:Perception needs to be trainedSchool training in perception 6. Problems in observation and introspection
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CHAPTER 6 - SENSATION
2007-02-27 13:28:00
1. How we come to know the external world:Knowledge through the sensesThe unity of sensory experienceThe sensory processes to be explainedThe qualities of objects exist in the mindThe three sets of factors 2. The nature of sensation:Sens ation gives us our world of qualitiesThe attributes of sensation 3. Sensory qualities and their end-organs:SightHearingTasteSmellVarious sensations from the skinThe kinæsthetic sensesThe organic senses 4. Problems in observation and retrospection
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CHAPTER 5 - HABIT
2007-02-26 12:07:00
1. The nature of habit:The physical basis of habitAll living tissue plasticHabit a modification of brain tissueWe must form habits 2. The place of habit in the economy of our lives:Habit increases skill and efficiencyHabit saves effort and fatigueHabit economizes moral effortThe habit of attentionHabit enables us to meet the disagreeableHabit the foundation of personalityHabit saves worry and rebellion 3. The tyranny of habit:Even good habits need to be modifiedThe tendency of "ruts" 4. Habit-forming a part of education:Youth the time for habit-formingThe habit of achievement5. Rules for habit-forming:James's three maxims for habit-formingThe preponderance of good habits over bad
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CHAPTER 4 - MENTAL DEVELOPMENT AND MOTOR TRAINING
2007-02-25 06:58:00
1. Factors determining the efficiency of the nervous system:Development and nutritionUndeveloped cellsDevelopment of nerve fibers 2. Development of nervous system through use:Importance of stimulus and responseEffect of sensory stimuliNecessity for motor activityDevelopment of the association centersThe factors involved in a simple action3. Education and the training of the nervous system: Education to supply opportunities for stimulus and responseOrder of development in the nervous system 4. Importance of health and vigor of the nervous system:The influence of fatigueThe effects of worryThe factors in good nutrition5. Problems for introspection and observation
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CHAPTER 3 - THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM
2007-02-24 08:01:00
1. The relations of mind and brain:Interaction of mind and brainThe brain as the mind's machine 2. The mind's dependence on the external world: The mind at birthThe work of the senses 3. Structural elements of the nervous system:The neuroneNeurone fibersNeurogliaComplexity of the brain"Gray" and "white" matter4. Gross structure of the nervous system:Divisions of the nervous systemThe central systemThe cerebellumThe cerebrumThe cortexThe spinal cord 5. Localization of function in the nervous system:Division of laborDivision of labor in the cortex 6. Forms of sensory stimuli:The end-organs and their response to stimuliDependence of the mind on the senses
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CHAPTER 2 - ATTENTION
2007-02-22 06:03:00
1. Nature of attention:The nature of attentionNormal consciousness always in a state of attention2. The effects of attention: Attention makes its object clear and definiteAttention measures mental efficiency 3. How we attend: Attention a relating activityThe rhythms of attention 4. Points of failure in attention: Lack of concentrationMental wandering5. Types of attention:The three types of attentionInterest and nonvoluntary attentionThe will and voluntary attentionNot really different kinds of attentionMaking different kinds of attention reënforce each otherThe habit of attention
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CHAPTER 1 - THE MIND, OR CONSCIOUSNESS
2007-02-21 15:17:00
1. How the mind is to be known:Personal character of consciousnessIntrospection the only means of discovering nature of consciousnessHow we introspectStudying mental states of others through expressionLearning to interpret expression 2. The nature of consciousness: Inner nature of the mind not revealed by introspectionCons ciousness as a process or streamConsciousness likened to a fieldThe "piling up" of consciousness is attention 3. Content of the mental stream: Why we need mindsContent of consciousness determined by functionThree fundamental phases of consciousness 4. Where consciousness resides: Consciousness works through the nervous system 5. Problems in observation and introspection
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