the origin and nature of emotions-第24章

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thers　under　the　same　stimulation；　emotion；　therefore；　secures　the　final　common　path　and　he　is　unconscious　of　pain　when　he　lashes；　cuts；　and　bruises　his　body。　　The　phenomena　of　hysteria　may　be　explained　on　this　basis；　as　may　the　unconsciousness　of　passing　events　in　a　person　in　the　midst　of　a　great　and　overwhelming　grief。　By　constant　practice　the　student　may　secure　the　final　common　path　for　such　impressions　as　are　derived　from　the　stimuli　offered　by　the　subject　of　his　study；　and　so　he　will　be　oblivious　of　his　surroundings。　Concentration　is　but　another　name　for　a　final　common　path　secured　by　the　repetition　and　summation　of　certain　stimuli。

If　our　premises　are　sustained；　then　we　can　recognize　in　man　no　will；　no　ego；　no　possibility　for　spontaneous　action；　for　every　action　must　be　a　response　to　the　stimuli　of　contact　or　distance　ceptors；　or　to　their　recall　through　associative　memory。　　Memory　is　awakened　by　symbols　which　represent　any　of　the　objects　or　forces　associated　with　the　act　recalled。　Spoken　and　written　words；　pictures；　sounds；　may　stimulate　the　brain　patterns　formed　by　previous　stimulation　of　the　distance　ceptors；　while　touch；　pain；　temperature；　pressure；　may　recall　previous　contact…ceptor　stimuli。　　Memory　depends　in　part　upon　the　adequacy　of　the　symbol；　and　in　part　upon　the　state　of　the　threshold。　If　one　has　ever　been　attacked　by　a　snake；　the　threshold　to　any　symbol　which　could　recall　that　attack　would　be　low；　the　later　recall　of　anything　associated　with　the　bite　or　its　results　would　produce　in　memory　a　recapitulation　of　the　whole　scene；　while　even　harmless　snakes　would　thereafter　be　greeted　with　a　shudder。　On　the　other　hand；　in　a　child　the　threshold　is　low　to　the　desire　for　the　possession　of　any　new　and　strange　object；　in　a　child；　therefore；　to　whom　a　snake　is　merely　an　unusual　and　fascinating　object；　there　is　aroused　only　curiosity　and　the　desire　for　the　possession　of　a　new　plaything。

If　we　are　to　attribute　to　man　the　possession　of　a　governing　attribute　not　possessed　by　other　parts　of　the　animal　creation；　where　are　we　to　draw　the　boundary　line；　and　say　〃here　the　ego　the　willthe　reasonemerges〃？　What　attribute；　after　all；　has　man　which　in　its　ultimate　analysis　is　not　possessed　by　the　lowest　animals　or　by　the　vegetable　creation；　even？　　From　the　ameba；　on　through　all　the　stages　of　animal　existence；　every　action　is　but　a　response　to　an　adequate　stimulus；　and　as　a　result　of　adequate　stimuli　each　step　has　been　taken　toward　the　higher　and　more　intricate　mechanisms　which　play　the　higher　and　more　intricate　parts　in　the　great　scheme　of　nature。

The　Venus　fly…trap　responds　to　as　delicate　a　stimulus　as　do　any　of　the　contact　ceptors　of　animals；　and　the　motor　activity　resulting　from　the　stimulus　is　as　complex。　　To　an　insect…like　touch　the　plant　responds；　to　a　rough　contact　there　is　no　response；　that　is；　the　motor　mechanism　of　the　plant　has　become　attuned　to　only　such　stimuli　as　simulate　the　contact　of　those　insects　which　form　its　diet。　It　catches　flies；　eats　and　digests　them；　and　ejects　the　refuse　（Fig。　47）。　The　ameba　does　no　less。　　The　frog　does　no　more；　excepting　that　in　its　place　in　creation　a　few　more　reactions　are　required　for　its　sustenance　and　for　the　propagation　of　its　species。　Man　does　no　more；　excepting　that　in　man's　manifold　relations　there　are　innumerable　stimuli；　for　meeting　which　adequately；　innumerable　mechanisms　have　been　evolved。　　The　motor　mechanism　of　the　fly…trap　is　perfectly　adapted　to　its　purpose。　The　motor　mechanism　of　man　is　adapted　to　its　manifold　uses；　and　as　new　environmental　influences　surround　him；　we　must　believe　that　new　adaptations　of　the　mechanism　will　be　evolved　to　meet　the　new　conditions。

Is　not　this　conception　of　man's　activities　infinitely　more　wonderful；　and　infinitely　more　comprehensible　than　is　the　conception　that　his　activities　may　be　accounted　for　by　the　existence　of　an　unknown；　unimaginable；　and　intangible　force　called　〃mind〃　or　〃soul〃？

We　have　already　shown　how　the　nerve　mechanism　is　so　well　adapted　to　the　innumerable　stimuli　of　environment　that　it　can　accurately　transmit　and　distinguish　between　the　infinite　variations　of　speed　in　the　ether　waves　producing　light；　and　the　air　waves　producing　sound。　Each　rate　of　vibration　energizes　only　the　mechanism　which　has　been　attuned　to　it。　　With　marvelous　accuracy　the　light　and　sound　waves　gain　access　to　the　nerve　tissue　and　are　finally　interpreted　in　terms　of　motor　responses；　each　by　the　brain　pattern　attuned　to　that　particular　speed　and　intensity。　　So　stimuli　and　resultant　actions　multiplied　by　the　total　number　of　the　motor　patterns　in　the　brain　of　man　give　us　the　sum　total　of　his　life's　activities　they　constitute　his　life。

As　in　evolutionary　history　the　permanence　of　an　adaptation　of　the　body　mechanism　depends　upon　its　value　in　the　preservation　of　the　life　of　the　individual　and　upon　its　power　to　increase　the　value　of　the　individual　to　the　race；　so　the　importance　and　truth　of　these　postulates　and　theories　may　well　be　judged　on　the　same　basis。

The　fundamental　instincts　of　all　living　matter　are　self…preservation　and　the　propagation　of　the　species。　　The　instinct　for　self…preservation　causes　a　plant　to　turn　away　from　cold　and　damaging　winds　toward　the　life…giving　sun；　the　inert　mussel　to　withdraw　within　its　shell；　the　insect　to　take　flight；　the　animal　to　fight　or　to　flee；　and　man　to　procure　food　that　he　may　oppose　starvation；　to　shelter　himself　and　to　provide　clothes　that　he　may　avoid　the　dangers　of　excessive　cold　and　heat；　to　combat　death　from　disease　by　seeking　medical　aid；　to　avoid　destruction　by　man　or　brute　by　fight　or　by　flight。　The　instinct　to　propagate　the　species　leads　brute　man　by　crude　methods；　and　cultured　man　by　methods　more　refined；　to　put　out　of　his　way　sex　rivals　so　that　his　own　life　may　be　continued　through　offspring。　The　life　of　the　species　is　further　assured　by　the　protective　action　exercised　over　the　young　by　the　adults　of　the　species。　As　soon　as　the　youngest　offspring　is　able　successfully　to　carry　on　his　own　struggle　with　environment　there　is　no　longer　need　for　the　parent；　and　the　parent　enters　therefore　the　stage　of　disintegration。　The　average　length　of　life　in　any　species　is　the　sum　of　the　years　of　immaturity；　plus　the　years　of　female　fertility；　plus　the　adolescent　years　of　the　offspring。

The　stimuli　resulting　from　these　two　dominant　instincts　are　now　so　overpowering　as　compared　with　all　other　environmental　stimuli　that　the　mere　possession　of　adequate　knowledge　of　the　damaging　effects　of　certain　actions　as　compared　with　the　saving　effects　of　others　will　（other　things　being　equal）　lead　the　individual　to　choose　the　right；　the　self…　and　species…preservative　course　of　action；　instead　of　the　wrong；　the　self…　and　species…destructive　course　of　action。

The　dissemination　of　the　knowledge　of　the　far…reaching　deleterious　effects　of　protracted　emotional　strain；　of　overwork；　and　of　worry　will　automatically　raise　man's　threshold　to　the　damaging　activating　stimuli　causing　the　strong　emotions；　and　will　cause　him　to　avoid　dangerous　strains　of　every　kind。　The　individual　thus　protected　will　therefore　rise　to　a　plane　of　poise　and　efficiency　far　above　that　of　his　uncontrolled　fellows；　and　by　so　much　will　his　efficiency；　health；　and　happiness　be　augmented。

A　full　acceptance　of　this　theory　cannot　fail　to　produce　in　those　in　whose　charge　rests　the　welfare　of　the　young；　an　overwhelming　desire　to　surround　children　with　those　environmental　stimuli　only　which　will　tend　to　their　highest　ultimate　welfare。

Such　is　the　stimulating　force　of　tradition　that　many　who　have　been　educated　under　the　tenets　of　traditional　beliefs　will　oppose　these　hypotheseseven　violently；　it　may　be。　So　they　have　opposed　them；　so　they　opposed　Darwin；　so　they　have　opposed　all　new　and　apparently　revolutionary　doctrines。　Yet　these　persons　themselves　are　by　their　very　actions　proving　the　efficiency　of　the　vital　principles　which　we　have　enunciated。　What　is　the　whole　social　welfare　movement　but　a　recognition　on　the　part　of　municipalities；　educational　boards；　and　religious　organizations　of　the　fact　that　the　future　welfare　of　the　race　depends　upon　the　administration　to　the　young　of　forceful　uplifting　environmental　stimuli？

There　are　now；　as　there　were　in　Darwin's　day；　many