Page:Philosophical Review Volume 2.djvu/246



[ABBREVIATIONS. — ''Am. J. Ps. = American Journal of Psychology; Ar.f. G. Ph. = Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie; Int. J. E. = International Journal of Ethics; Phil. Mon. = Philosophische Monatshefte; Phil. Stud. = Philosophise Studien; Rev. Ph. = Revue Philosophique; R. I. d. Fil. = Rivista Italiana di Filosofia; V. f. w. Ph. = Vierteljahrschrift für wissenschaftliche Philosophie; Z. f. Ph. = Zeitschrift für Philosophie und philosophische Kritik; Z.f. Ps. u. Phys. d. Sinn. = Zeitschrift für Psychologie und Physiologie der Sinnesorgane; Phil. Jahr. = Philosophisches Jahrbuch''. — Other titles are self-explanatory.]

Memory is a function of organic matter, and can be evolutionally studied. The origin of imitation lies in the reflex (cf. Wernicke). Memory is a restrained imitatory reflex (Bain). But in the technical sense memory implies consciousness (Ladd).

In the sphere of musical memory the distinction between imitatory reflex and memory proper is important but very difficult. 'Music' in the animal kingdom the author regards as a feeling-reflex in production and reproduction. So with the lower human races (the astonishing musical memory of the Hottentots is merely imitatory) and with idiots. It is otherwise with such a memory as that of Mozart, as is, indeed, experimentally shown by investigations into the musical sense of idiots (Wildermuth-Stetten). At the same time, the imitatory reflex is the foundation of all later musical development.

If memory is a reflex, restrained by other sense-impressions, it is intelligible that in consequence of the inhibition of certain nervous paths or centres the traces of all previous impressions are obliterated, and a single new impression (or uninfluenced trace of an impression), is reflexly effective, being unrestrained by any active combination. Hence the 'cropping up' of memories (cf. Forel). This inhibition can arise in a variety of ways: it explains the isolated exhibition of musical power. It is to be noted that musical expression is not bound up with a definite hemisphere or portion of the brain. As Rh