Page:Principles of Psychology (1890) v1.djvu/205

185 TEE METHODS AND SNARES OF PSYCHOLOGY. 185 reporter of subjective as well as of objective facts, we must presently speak. But not until we bave considered the methods be uses for ascertaining what the facts in question are. THE METHODS OP INVESTIGATION". Introspective Ohservation is what ive have to rdy on first and foremost and aliuays. Tbe word introspection need bardly be defined — it means, of course, the looking into our own minds and reporting wbat we tbere discover. Every one agrees that ive there discover states of consciousness. So far as I know, the existence of sucb states bas never been doubted by any critic, bowever sceptical in otber respects be may bave been. Tbat we bave cogitations of some sort is tbe inconcussum in a world most of wbose otber facts bave at some time tottered in the breatb of pbilosopbic doubt. All people unbesitatingly believe tbat tbey feel tbemselves tbinking, and tbat tbey distinguisb the mental state as an inward activity or passion, from all the objects witb wbicb it may cognitively deal. I regard this belief as the most fundamental of all the postulates of Psychology, and sball dis- card all curious inquiries about its certainty as too meta- physical for the scope of tbis book. A Question of Nomenclature. We ougbt to bave some general term by wbicb to designate all states of con- sciousness merely as sucb, and apart from tbeir par- ticular quality or cognitive function. Unfortunately most of the terms in use bave grave objections. ' Mental state,' ' state of consciousness,' ' conscious modification,' are cumbrous and bave no kindred verbs. Tbe same is true of 'subjective condition.' 'Feeling' bas the verb 'to feel,* botb active and neuter, and sucb derivatives as ' feelingly,' 'felt,' 'feltness,' etc., wbicb make it extremely convenient. But on the otber band it bas specific meanings as well as its generic one, sometimes standing for pleasure and pain, and being sometimes a synonym of ' sensation ' as opposed to thought ; wbereas we wisb a term to cover sensation and