nnected with the group is
Sociology, which under that name, and under the older title, the
Philosophy of History, has opened up a new series of problems, of the
kind to divide opinions and provoke debate. A quieter interest attaches
to Aesthetics, although the subject is a not unfruitful application and
test of psychological laws.

My remarks will embrace, first, the aims, real and factitious, in the
study of this group of sciences; and next, the polemic conduct of such
study, or the utility and management of debating societies, instituted
in connection therewith.

* * * * *

[PSYCHOLOGY AND LOGIC FUNDAMENTAL.]

The two sciences--PSYCHOLOGY and LOGIC--I consider the fundamental and
knowledge-giving departments. The others are the applications of these
to the more stirring questions of human life. Now, the successful
cultivation of the field requires you to give at least as much attention
to the root sciences as you give to the branch sciences. That is to say,
psychology, in its pure and proper character, and logic, in its
systematic array, should be kept before the view, concurrently with
ontology, ethics, and sociology. Essays and debates tending to clear up
and expound systematic psychology and systematic logic should make a
full half of the society's work.

Does any one feel a doubt upon the point, as so stated? If so, it will
be upon him to show that Psychology, in its methodical pursuit, is a
needless and superfluous employment of strength; that the problems of
ethics, ontology, &c., can be solved without it--a hard task indeed, so
long as they are unsolved in any way. I have no space for indulging in
a dissertation on the value of methodical study and arrangement in the
extension of our knowledge, as opposed to the promiscuous mingling of
different kinds of facts, which is often required in practice, but
repugnant to the increase of knowledge. If you want to improve our
acquaintance with the sense of touch, you accumulate and methodize all
the experiences relating to touch; you compare them, see whether they
are consistent or inconsistent, select the good, reject the bad, improve
the statement of one by light borrowed from the others; you mark
desiderata, experiments to be tried, or observations to be sought.
All that time, you refrain from wandering into other spheres of mental
phenomena. You make use of comparison with the rest of the senses, it
may be, but you keep strictly