Page:W. H. Chamberlin 1919, The Study of Philosophy.djvu/13

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The Study of Philosophy.
11

acts, as when one is actually engaged in eating an apple, the awareness aspect can also be analysed into subordinate aspects. It can be analysed into a sensory aspect, an aspect composed of visual sensations, in the example just given the apple is red or green, pressure sensations, the apple is hard or soft, and other sensations, it has its characteristic flavor, smell, etc. There are also experienced sensations due to the action of the muscles, the arm, the hand, and the mouth. Its analysis also reveals space forms of the arrangement of these sensations, the apple is round, has an inside and an outside and a center. Its analysis also reveals time forms of arrangement of these sensations, kinesthetic sensations arise as one grasps the apple and before one experiences its flavor, or they arise as one chews the apple and at the same time as one enjoys its taste and smell. Then also the exercise of certain habits with their associated group of sensations conditions the exercise of other habits with their group of sensations; the sensations connected with chewing are said to condition the appearance of the sensations of taste and smell which constitute the flavor of the apple. This conditioning relationship is also called the causal relationship or form. And finally in such an awareness aspect there can be discovered changes going on. There are motions among the groups of sensations. Viewed in this abstract way these sensations, forms, and motions are determined, inert, lifeless realities, but they are determined by the dynamic or energetic core of an interest, the habits of grasping and chewing which have been slowly formed and correlated. But the abstract sensations, forms and motions, together with the habits that determine them, are elements of the nature of the person who lives the interest. Man has in himself, by virtue of this nature, the wonderful power both to determine and to be aware of sensations, of their space, time and causal forms, and of their motions. Though abstract, these awarenesses of senations, forms, and motions, are elements of man’s nature, and man also determines them or has the power through which they live in him. In other words man has the power to determine the determined content of the awareness aspect of his interests, a content so determined that he, by developing an interest in knowing the order of the appearance of the elments in this content, can discover that order, and thus become able to predict the appearance of these elements. The careful study of this order is in fact the work to which many psychologists tend to limit themselves.

These abstract and inert realities are more concretely viewed when seen in their dependence upon the dynamic or energetic core of the interest which determines them and of which they are but aspects. They are more concretely viewed when they are seen themselves as entering into the determining process, although it is advantageous for some purposes to regard these ab-