Page:Mind (Old Series) Volume 9.djvu/627

 VII. CORRESPONDENCE. "WHAT is AX EMOTION?" Previous to the appearance (in MrsD XXXIV.) of Dr. James's article on " What is an Emotion 1 " I had reached results agreeing in general with those presented by him, through a consideration of the Emotions from a developmental standpoint. A brief summary of my argument may in- terest some of your readers. Those who accept the Darwinian hypotheses of descent will grant that the lower forms of life, from which the higher species have descended, were probably without power of active motion through their habitat. In such a race certain tendencies to general activities with reference to the approach and departure of objects advantageous and detrimental would very probably arise and be emphasised by selection. On broad lines these advantageous tendencies may be indicated as follows : Upon the approach of an advantageous object, an increase from normal to hyper-normal general activity ; Upon the departure of an advantageous object, a decrease from hypernor- mal towards normal general activity ; Upon the approach of a detrimental object, a decrease from normal to sub- normal general activity ; Upon the departure of a detrimental object, an increase from subnormal to normal general activity. Such tendencies, it may be supposed, would appear when the conditions correspond with those described, even if the animal had reached a condi- tion where greater activity was habitual. A race which had reached that higher stage of development which is indicated by the ability to move through its habitat, would be benefited by certain other tendencies which would therefore be fostered by selection ; for example, we should look for tendencies to act (1) To bring about approach to an advantageous object ; (2) To drive away a detrimental and weaker object ; (3) To produce flight from a detrimental and overpowerful object. Under the same hypotheses it may be argued that each muscular act would have a concomitant feeling in the conscious life to which it belonged, and that each co-ordinated complex of actions thus described would have its concomitant co-ordinated feeling. When we turn to the consideration of man we find that certain definite feelings in ourselves correspond with the environmental conditions above described, and that the muscular states which accompany these feelings correspond to those which we supposed would in the lower animals arise under these same environmental conditions ; thus, we being passive, the perception (a) Of the approach of an advantageous object is accompanied by the feeling of Joy ; (1)) Of the departure of an advantageous object is accompanied by the feeling of Sorrow ; (c) Of the approach of a detrimental object is accompanied by the feeling of Dread ; (d) Of the departure of a detrimental object is accompanied by the feeling of Relief ;