WAYS OF THINKING

1. Sensation, Remembrance, Contemplation, &c., modes of thinking.

1. Sensation, memory, contemplation, and so on are forms of thinking.

When the mind turns its view inwards upon itself, and contemplates its own actions, THINKING is the first that occurs. In it the mind observes a great variety of modifications, and from thence receives distinct ideas. Thus the perception or thought which actually accompanies, and is annexed to, any impression on the body, made by an external object, being distinct from all other modifications of thinking, furnishes the mind with a distinct idea, which we call SENSATION;—which is, as it were, the actual entrance of any idea into the understanding by the senses. The same idea, when it again recurs without the operation of the like object on the external sensory, is REMEMBRANCE: if it be sought after by the mind, and with pain and endeavour found, and brought again in view, it is RECOLLECTION: if it be held there long under attentive consideration, it is CONTEMPLATION: when ideas float in our mind without any reflection or regard of the understanding, it is that which the French call REVERIE; our language has scarce a name for it: when the ideas that offer themselves (for, as I have observed in another place, whilst we are awake, there will always be a train of ideas succeeding one another in our minds) are taken notice of, and, as it were, registered in the memory, it is ATTENTION: when the mind with great earnestness, and of choice, fixes its view on any idea, considers it on all sides, and will not be called off by the ordinary solicitation of other ideas, it is that we call INTENTION or STUDY: sleep, without dreaming, is rest from all these: and DREAMING itself is the having of ideas (whilst the outward senses are stopped, so that they receive not outward objects with their usual quickness) in the mind, not suggested by any external objects, or known occasion; nor under any choice or conduct of the understanding at all: and whether that which we call ECSTASY be not dreaming with the eyes open, I leave to be examined.

When the mind looks inward and considers its own activities, THINKING is the first activity it notices. The mind observes many different forms of thinking and gains distinct ideas from them. An external object makes an impression on the body, accompanied by a perception or thought. This perception differs from all other forms of thinking and gives the mind a distinct idea, called SENSATION. Sensation is, so to speak, the actual entry of an idea into the understanding through the senses. When the same idea returns without a similar object acting on the external senses, we call it REMEMBRANCE. If the mind searches for the idea and brings it back into view with difficulty and effort, we call this RECOLLECTION. If the mind keeps the idea in view for a long time, considering it attentively, we call this CONTEMPLATION. When ideas drift through our minds without reflection or notice by the understanding, the French call this REVERIE. Our language has hardly any name for it. As I have noted elsewhere, while we are awake, a train of ideas always passes through our minds. When we notice the ideas that present themselves and, so to speak, record them in memory, we call this ATTENTION. Sometimes the mind deliberately focuses intently on an idea and considers it from every angle. It refuses to be distracted by the ordinary pull of other ideas. We call this INTENTION or STUDY. Sleep without dreaming is a rest from all these activities. DREAMING itself means having ideas in the mind while the outward senses are inactive. In this state, the senses do not receive external objects as readily as usual. These ideas are not prompted by external objects or any known cause. Nor are they chosen or directed by the understanding at all. Whether what we call ECSTASY is dreaming with our eyes open, I leave for further examination.

2. Other modes of thinking.

2. Other forms of thinking.

These are some few instances of those various modes of thinking, which the mind may observe in itself, and so have as distinct ideas of as it hath of white and red, a square or a circle. I do not pretend to enumerate them all, nor to treat at large of this set of ideas, which are got from reflection: that would be to make a volume. It suffices to my present purpose to have shown here, by some few examples, of what sort these ideas are, and how the mind comes by them; especially since I shall have occasion hereafter to treat more at large of REASONING, JUDGING, VOLITION, and KNOWLEDGE, which are some of the most considerable operations of the mind, and modes of thinking.

These are a few examples of the various ways of thinking that the mind may observe in itself. Through such observation, the mind can form ideas as distinct as its ideas of white and red, a square or a circle. I do not claim to list them all or discuss these ideas gained through reflection in detail. Doing so would fill a volume. For my present purpose, a few examples are enough to show what these ideas are and how the mind acquires them. This is especially so because I will later discuss REASONING, JUDGING, VOLITION, and KNOWLEDGE in greater detail. These are some of the mind’s most important operations and ways of thinking.

3. The various degrees of Attention in thinking.

3. The different levels of attention in thinking.

But perhaps it may not be an unpardonable digression, nor wholly impertinent to our present design, if we reflect here upon the different state of the mind in thinking, which those instances of attention, reverie, and dreaming, &c., before mentioned, naturally enough suggest. That there are ideas, some or other, always present in the mind of a waking man, every one’s experience convinces him; though the mind employs itself about them with several degrees of attention. Sometimes the mind fixes itself with so much earnestness on the contemplation of some objects, that it turns their ideas on all sides; marks their relations and circumstances; and views every part so nicely and with such intention, that it shuts out all other thoughts, and takes no notice of the ordinary impressions made then on the senses, which at another season would produce very sensible perceptions: at other times it barely observes the train of ideas that succeed in the understanding, without directing and pursuing any of them: and at other times it lets them pass almost quite unregarded, as faint shadows that make no impression.

But perhaps a brief digression here may be forgivable and not entirely irrelevant to our present purpose. We might reflect on the mind’s different states while thinking. The examples of attention, daydreaming, dreaming, and so on, mentioned earlier, naturally suggest such a reflection. Everyone’s experience confirms that some ideas are always present in the mind of a person who is awake. Yet the mind gives these ideas different degrees of attention. Sometimes the mind concentrates so intensely on certain objects that it examines the ideas of those objects from every angle. It notes their relationships and circumstances, and studies every part with such care and focus that all other thoughts disappear. The mind then ignores the ordinary impressions made on the senses, although at other times those impressions would produce clear perceptions. At other times, the mind merely notices the sequence of ideas passing through it, without directing or pursuing any idea. And at still other times, the mind lets ideas pass almost unnoticed, like faint shadows that leave no impression.

4. Hence it is probable that Thinking is the Action, not the Essence of the Soul.

4. So thinking is probably an activity of the soul, not its essence.

This difference of intention, and remission of the mind in thinking, with a great variety of degrees between earnest study and very near minding nothing at all, every one, I think, has experimented in himself. Trace it a little further, and you find the mind in sleep retired as it were from the senses, and out of the reach of those motions made on the organs of sense, which at other times produce very vivid and sensible ideas. I need not, for this, instance in those who sleep out whole stormy nights, without hearing the thunder, or seeing the lightning, or feeling the shaking of the house, which are sensible enough to those who are waking. But in this retirement of the mind from the senses, it often retains a yet more loose and incoherent manner of thinking, which we call dreaming. And, last of all, sound sleep closes the scene quite, and puts an end to all appearances. This, I think almost every one has experience of in himself, and his own observation without difficulty leads him thus far. That which I would further conclude from hence is, that since the mind can sensibly put on, at several times, several degrees of thinking, and be sometimes, even in a waking man, so remiss, as to have thoughts dim and obscure to that degree that they are very little removed from none at all; and at last, in the dark retirements of sound sleep, loses the sight perfectly of all ideas whatsoever: since, I say, this is evidently so in matter of fact and constant experience, I ask whether it be not probable, that thinking is the action and not the essence of the soul? Since the operations of agents will easily admit of intention and remission: but the essences of things are not conceived capable of any such variation. But this by the by.

Everyone, I think, has experienced differences in how intensely or loosely the mind thinks. There are many degrees between serious study and paying almost no attention at all. Follow these differences a little further, and you find that in sleep the mind seems to withdraw from the senses. The mind then seems beyond the reach of movements affecting the sense organs that otherwise produce very vivid, distinct ideas. I need not give examples of people who sleep through entire stormy nights. They neither hear the thunder, see the lightning, nor feel the house shake. Yet people who are awake clearly perceive all these things. But while withdrawn from the senses, the mind often continues thinking in an even looser, more disconnected way. We call this dreaming. Finally, deep sleep closes the scene entirely and puts an end to all appearances. Almost everyone, I think, has experienced this in themselves. Their own observations lead them this far without difficulty. I would draw a further conclusion from these experiences. At different times, the mind clearly moves through different degrees of thinking. Sometimes, even in someone awake, thinking becomes so faint that thoughts are dim, unclear, and barely distinguishable from no thoughts at all. Finally, in the dark retreat of deep sleep, the mind completely loses sight of all ideas whatsoever. Since these are evident facts, confirmed by constant experience, I ask whether thinking is probably an activity of the soul, rather than its essence. The activities of anything that acts can readily become more or less intense. But we do not conceive of the essences of things as capable of any such variation. But that is an aside.