VI. First Truths (grouped by Bascom).

1. Time.

Disprove.

3. Methods.

IX. Growth and Development of Noumenal-perception.

2. Means.

CHAPTER IX.

PERCEPTIVE KNOWING-GENERAL VIEW.

Perceptive Knowing is simply Direct Insight.-Self stands face to face with noumena as well as with phenomena. I do not prove to you that the sun is bright, that you despise cowards, or that something makes the apple fall. You know these things at once. All immediate concrete knowing is intuitive. Perceptive knowing is intuitive knowing, is immediate knowing, is presentative knowing, is simple cognition.

The Perceptive Faculties are the Capabilities to know immediately. Because we are endowed with direct insight, these powers are called intuitive faculties. As we acquire immediate knowledge, these are also called the acquisitive faculties. Because the things known are made present, some term these the presentative faculties. Simple cognitive powers is also a good name, as these faculties give us knowledge in its simplest form. The Perceptive Powers.

We perceive Noumena as well as Phenomena.-We have direct insight into the matter-world, the mindworld, and the world of necessary realities. We are endowed with three intuitive powers, each opening to us a distinct world. In each perceptive act each of the three forms of perception supplements the others.

The Perceptive Faculties.

Sense-Perception.
Conscious-Perception.
Noumenal-Perception.

Sense-Perception is the Capability to gain Elementary Sense-Knowledge.—We acquire knowledge through the senses. Sense-perception is the best possible name for this faculty. As we know at once the outer world, this faculty is properly called outer-perception, external-perception, and objective-perception. Perception is brief but indefinite.

Names.

{

Sense-Perception.
Outer-Perception.
External-Perception.

Objective-Perception.
Perception.

Consciousness is the Capability to perceive Self acting. -I have direct insight into the mind-world. I perceive myself knowing, feeling, willing. Because we have direct insight into the inner-world, this faculty is called inner-perception. As we know immediately mental phenomena, this power is also termed conscious-perception and conscious-intuition. The mind looks on itself working, hence Kant named this capability apperception. McCosh calls it self-consciousness. correspond with objective-perception, some name it subjective-perception. Each name has its merits, but self-consciousness and conscious-perception are preferred. Consciousness and Conscious-Perception. Inner-Perception.

To

Noumenal-Perception is the Capability to know intuitively Necessary Realities.-Noumena means the ultimate and the necessary. Such ultimate realities as space, time, cause, are noumena. "Noumenon," says Herbert Spencer, "is the antithesis of phenomenon. Appearance without reality is unthinkable. Noumenon is necessary actuality." Because we have direct insight into the necessary truth-world, this faculty is called truthperception. As we know at once necessary ideas, some call this power intuition, or rational-intuition. In this sense, intuition is indefinite and misleading. Each perceptive faculty is an intuitive faculty. Sense-intuition, conscious-intuition, and noumenal-intuition, are correct and definite names. This faculty is also called reason

and rational-perception, because rational beings alone perceive necessary realities. But, as reason is now almost uniformly used to designate the power of inference, these names are objectionable. Noumenal-perception and noumenal-intuition are unobjectionable.

Names.

Noumenal-Perception.

Noumenal-Intuition and Intuition.
Truth-Perception.

Rational-Perception and Reason.

Products of Perceptive Knowing.-Self gains some ideas at once. These singular, concrete ideas are percepts. As we gain these ideas by direct insight, they are called intuitions. As these ideas are the elements of all knowing, they are simple cognitions.

Classes of Percepts.-A mind acts as a unit. Each mental power is supplemented by all the other powers of the soul. A mental product results from self acting in all his capabilities. We are conscious of our noumenal as well as of our phenomenal perceiving. Through phenomena we perceive noumena, and we perceive noumena as necessary to phenomena. Still, our elementary ideas form these well-marked groups. Those gained through the senses are sense-ideas, or sense-percepts; those gained through consciousness are conscious-ideas, or conscious-percepts; and those gained through noumenal-perception are noumenal-ideas, or noumenal-per

Intuitions.

་

Sense-Intuitions.

Phenomenal Conscious-Intuitions.

Noumenal-Necessary Ideas.

1. Sense-percepts are simple cognitions of material objects. We perceive material objects as external, extended, and as exerting force.

2. Conscious-percepts are simple cognitions of self acting. We perceive self existing and exerting power.

3. Noumenal-percepts are simple cognitions of necessary realities. We perceive necessary entities and necessary relations. Our concrete notions of these necessary realities gained by direct-insight are termed noumenal-percepts. Nothing could be plainer. Strange, that antiquated darkness and misleading theories should so long hide the truth! But modern psychologists have brushed away the cobwebs. It is the old story of Columbus and the egg.

SUGGESTIVE STUDY-HINTS.

Place the diagrams of sense-perception, conscious-perception, and noumenal-perception side by side on a sheet of paper, or on blackboards. Compare them topic by topic.

With the diagrams before you, study Chapter IX. Do not for a moment lose sight of the fact that self acts as a unit. Dr. Laws insists that the intuitive faculty is simple in its nature but complex in its functions, and presents it as follows:

Phenomenal-Intuition. {Sense-Perception.

Noumenal-Intuition.

Consciousness.

Some writers claim that sense-perception and consciousness give us noumenal as well as phenomenal percepts. To me it seems every way better to treat each perceptive function as a distinct faculty.

References.-Those wishing fuller information are referred to Porter's "Human Intellect"; Sully's "Psychology"; McCosh's "Pyschology"; Hopkins's "Outline Study of Man"; Bascom's "Science of Mind," etc.