Probably no psychologist is really satisfied at heart with the present position as regards the psychology of Meaning. A similar situation existed not so very long ago—and in a measure still exists—with respect to the psychology of the emotions. But the difficulties with regard to Meaning are even more formidable than those with regard to Emotion. In both cases the difficulties are of the most fundamental character, and may be said to involve the very foundations of the science itself. In (...) both cases also the difficulties are to some extent of the same kind, and have their origin in analogous conditions. (shrink)

Almost exactly a quarter of a century ago—in the year 1906— the George Combe Department of Psychology was established in this University, thanks to the farsightedness of Professor Pringle-Pattinson, who has, to our regret, now gone from among us, and Professor Sir Edward Sharpey Schafer, who is happily with us still, and to the generosity of the George Combe Trustees. In his inaugural lecture, delivered in the old Natural History classroom, my predecessor, Dr. W. G. Smith, discussed the scope and (...) relations of modern psychology. He emphasized the fact that modern psychology had extended its boundaries far beyond the psychology taught in the past in this and other universities, that it now included child psychology, animal psychology, abnormal psychology, physiological psychology, and experimental psychology, all developed studies, and that its growth in importance had been commensurate with its expansion. (shrink)