The perceptive act is a reaction of the mind upon the object of which it is the perception. Samuel Alexander More Quotes by Samuel Alexander More Quotes From Samuel Alexander Psychology is the science of the act of experiencing, and deals with the whole system of such acts as they make up mental life. Samuel Alexander deals psychology whole In the perception of a tree we can distinguish the act of experiencing, or perceiving, from the thing experienced, or perceived. Samuel Alexander perception tree An expectation is a future object, recognised as belonging to me. Samuel Alexander belonging objects expectations Hence, in desiring, the more the enjoyment is delayed, the more fancy begins to weave about the object images of future fruition, and to clothe the desired object with properties calculated to inflame the impulse. Samuel Alexander impulse fruition fancy But though cognition is not an element of mental action, nor even in any real sense of the word an aspect of it, the distinction of cognition and conation has if properly defined a definite value. Samuel Alexander cognition elements real Curiosity begins as an act of tearing to pieces or analysis. Samuel Alexander analysis pieces curiosity We cannot therefore say that mental acts contain a cognitive as well as a conative element. Samuel Alexander mental-health wells elements The mental act of sensation which issues in reflex movement is so simple as to defy analysis. Samuel Alexander issues analysis simple An object is not first imagined or thought about and then expected or willed, but in being actively expected it is imagined as future and in being willed it is thought. Samuel Alexander objects expected firsts Both expectations and memories are more than mere images founded on previous experience. Samuel Alexander good-memories expectations memories Desire then is the invasion of the whole self by the wish, which, as it invades, sets going more and more of the psychical processes; but at the same time, so long as it remains desire, does not succeed in getting possession of the self. Samuel Alexander self wish long Such being the nature of mental life, the business of psychology is primarily to describe in detail the various forms which attention or conation assumes upon the different levels of that life. Samuel Alexander psychology details different When we come to images or memories or thoughts, speculation, while always closely related to practice, is more explicit, and it is in fact not immediately obvious that such processes can be described in any sense as practical. Samuel Alexander practice memories facts It is more difficult to designate this form of conation on its practical side by a satisfactory name. Samuel Alexander individualism names sides You can mark in desire the rising of the tide, as the appetite more and more invades the personality, appealing, as it does, not merely to the sensory side of the self, but to its ideal components as well. Samuel Alexander personality self desire It may be added, to prevent misunderstanding, that when I speak of contemplated objects in this last phrase as objects of contemplation, the act of contemplation itself is of course an enjoyment. Samuel Alexander phrases lasts may The sensory acts are accordingly distinguished by their objects. Samuel Alexander sensory distinguished objects The interval between a cold expectation and a warm desire may be filled by expectations of varying degrees of warmth or by desires of varying degrees of coldness. Samuel Alexander degrees expectations desire ... when demand is being destroyed by expensive oil just as expensive oil is incentivising increased production - it should come as no surprise that at some point the markets would react. Samuel Alexander demand oil surprise But unfortunately Locke treated ideas of reflection as if they were another class of objects of contemplation beside ideas of sensation. Samuel Alexander reflection class ideas
