In the development of such general concep tions, two stages are recognized which may be appropriately designated by the terms perception and apperception of German psychology, if these terms be employed without reference to whether the mental facts considered are ex ternally or internally derived. The process in the first stage is for the most part involun tarily and unconsciously directed, in the second it is voluntary and self-conscious. The process is not, however, first, sense impression, then percept, concept, judgment and reasoning in turn, each leaving off where the next higher begins. It dates its origin far back in the mental history of each individual, and all along in actual experience, sensing, perceiving, con ceiving, judging, etc., are inextricably joined in one indivisible movement of thought-de velopment. To use James' expressive phrase, the infant's consciousness is a °big, blooming, buzzing confusion." This is the child's world. It is not, however, a world with which he can be satisfied. It must be broken in pieces and continually made over again. Chaos must be made cosmos, the irrational must become pro gressively rational. In fact, to rationalize the confusion" becomes the great and never to-be-finished work of education and of life. Therefore the manner of this rationalization is of especial interest to the teacher. The econ fusion" is not monotonous. It is not always the same. There is change. Certain elements
come and go and some of them return again. By repeated recurrence these elements come to stand out in the foreground of the dark "con fusion.' Some of them are uniformly repeated together simultaneously or in close succession. These consequently become associated and form the basis of perception. Perception oc curs when the presentation of one element im mediately calls up the others belonging with it in the unity of consciousness which these elements represent. The presented element or sensation becomes the sign to which the mind at once adds the proper interpretation and ac companiment. The tidiness of the interpreta tion depends upon the mind's present attitude and condition, and its past experiences with the object presented. In other words, in all perception there is more or less of apperception. See PSYCHOLOGY; ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS.
Erdmann and Dodge, chologische Untersuchungen fiber das Lesen auf experimenteller Grundlage) (Halle 1898); Herbert, 'Text-Book in Psychology' (New York 1891) ; Leibnitz, Essays); Stout, 'Analytical (London 1909) ; Mc Murry, (General Method) (1891) ; De Genno, 'Essentials of (1899); Herbart, Text-Book in Psychology); Wundt, (Grund ziige der Physiologischen Psychologie) (Leipzig 1910-11) ; Wundt, 'Outlines of (Stuttgart 1893-95) ; Lange, A Monograph in Psychology and (Boston 1893).