Page:Creation by Evolution (1928).djvu/413

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MIND IN EVOLUTION

higher. And within this progressive advance we ourselves have been caught up as active and open-eyed participators. That is where mind in evolution comes at last into the picture. Others will deal with the evolution of material things and of those no less material structures we call living bodies. The physiologist deals with the evolution of the brain. I am called on to deal with mind in evolution.

We must all admit that the body and the mind are, in millions of living beings here on earth, in some way very closely connected. We may tell a story of the body. Can one state in a few words what is distinctive of the mental story as contrasted with the bodily story? Let me try to do so. In the mental story there is enjoyment. You and I know what this feels like; and that is the only way we can know it. It is in common parlance pleasurable; but since discomfort and pain, though opposites, are the same kind of feeling, let us include these as "negative enjoyment."

In the mental story there is also that which may be called reference. When I see in the sky a halo round the moon and I think this portends bad weather there is in my mind reference to the rain I am led to expect. If I have to go out to a long meeting I shall take my umbrella. In that case there is guidance of action with reference to a possible wet night in order that I may prevent, so far as I can, the discomfort of a drenching.

Now other words than those employed here may be used. But on these terms whenever there is pleasurable enjoyment or its negative discomfort; whenever there is objective reference, as it is called; wherever there is guidance of behaviour or of conduct to the end of gaining pleasurable enjoyment or of avoiding discomfort we have characters distinctive of mind. Consider whether this brief statement, so far as it goes, is accordant with the facts of experience, and if so

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