Note 231 — LECTURE XV INSTINCTS, SENTIMENTS, AND CONFLICTS

McDougall has proposed the ingenious theory that that which we understand, properly speaking, by “will” is a complex form of conation issuing from a particular sentiment, viz., the complexly organized sentiment of self (“self-regarding sentiment”). The behavior immediately determined by the primitive instincts and other sentiments cannot be classed as volition, but should be regarded as simple instinctive conation. When, therefore, the will reinforces a sentiment and determines conduct it is the self-regarding sentiment which provides the “volitional” impulse and is the controlling factor. If this theory should stand it would give a satisfactory solution of this difficult question. Perhaps it receives some support on the part of abnormal psychology in that certain observations seem to show, if I correctly interpret them, that self-consciousness is a complex capable of being dissociated like any idea or sentiment. I shall presently describe a quasi-pathological state which may be called depersonalization. In this state the “conscious intelligence” present is able to think and reason logically and sanely, is capable of good judgments, and has an unusually large field of memory, in short, is a very intelligent consciousness; nevertheless, it exhibits a very strange phenomenon: it has lost all consciousness of self; it has no sense of personality, of anything to which the term “I” can be applied. This sentiment seems to be absolutely dissociated in this state.