The psychic factor in living organisms

Philosophy of Science 10 (4):262-270 (1943)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

In my recent paper on Living Systems and Non-living Systems I considered briefly the question of the special rôle assignable to the psychic, as natural factor associated with yet different from the physical, in the activities of living organisms. The general conclusion was reached that this rôle is primarily integrative, in correspondence with the integrative character which is the essential distinguishing feature of the psychic in our experience. As integrative, the psychic factor has a special relation to the synthetic activity so highly developed in living organism, since synthesis is by its nature integration or whole-formation. Originative or novelty-producing activity is the special prerogative of the psychic, rather than simple repetition or routine; the latter, as exemplifying the stable or conservative side of nature, belongs in the field of the physical. According to this conception, the psychic is the source of initiative when action takes on a novel or creative form, as in conscious voluntary activity or in natural creative action in general. For example, in animals vegetative or routine processes may be purely physiological and unconscious, while actions requiring special initiative or innovation demand conscious effort and attention.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,221

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

The directive influence in living organisms.Ralph S. Lillie - 1932 - Journal of Philosophy 29 (18):477-491.
Psychic experiences: Psychic illusions.Susan Blackmore - 1992 - Skeptical Inquirer 16:367-376.
Reflections on a theory of organisms: holism in biology.Walter M. Elsasser - 1987 - Baltimore, Md: Published for the Johns Hopkins Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences by the Johns Hopkins University Press.
Why Machines Can Neither Think nor Feel.Douglas C. Long - 1994 - In Dale W. Jamieson (ed.), Language, Mind and Art. Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Vital organization and the psychic factor.Ralph S. Lillie - 1944 - Philosophy of Science 11 (3):161-170.

Analytics

Added to PP
2009-01-28

Downloads
211 (#86,656)

6 months
2 (#658,848)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

No citations found.

Add more citations

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references