stract elements as themselves the truly concrete, the understood, the obvious, the unquestioned, the inert or established reality from which one starts his investigation of the world. But they are still more concretely viewed when they are seen to be also dependent upon an objective reality of which they are a determined aspect. For example, when in the thought process a suggestion from one’s own subconscious interests appears in support of a forming plan of action, or idea, the various sensory elements, their movements, and the spatial, temporal and causal forms of the awareness aspect of the new interest, are clearly supported by or dependent upon both the new interest and the interest called a suggestion. Another subjective interest, the suggestion, is here the objective support of the new subjective interest, of its value aspect, and of its awareness aspect with its sensory, and its time, space, causal and movement elements. Without this other interest, the new interest and all of its aspects would not be experienced in any actual case. That is, man has in himself the wonderful power to support in one of his own interests its value and awareness aspects, and the sensory, space, time causal and movement elements of the latter aspect.
That another interest can be the objective support of the value and awareness aspects of an interest can be more easily seen when the interest called a suggestion is an interest of another persona In conversing with another, the other’s interests or meanings are in immediate interaction with our own interests.[1] When a need arises in us because our own ideas need amendment, they may be supported or checked by the ideas or suggestions of a friend. In cases of such interaction of interests the awareness aspects of our growing interests are clearly dependent upon or objectively supported by the interest of another. At least that other person is an essential factor, in the example given, of such objective support. Without him those particular interests with their aspects would not arise in the mind.
Section 8.
In cases of communication like the one just considered we are often compelled by the failure to grasp another’s meaning into the analysis of his interests into dynamic realities and the awarenesses in another which they condition or support. For while, as a friend expresses himself, we are usually absorbed in his meaning and are but dimly aware of his speech, we may and
- ↑ Merz, Religion and Science, Part I.
