Chapter I.

       Infra-Conscious Mentality.

       Table of Content

      THE great problems of modern psychology are found to consist largely of the phenomena of the mental operations and activities on planes other than those of ordinary consciousness. While the terminology of the subject is still in a state of transition, nevertheless certain terms have sprung into common use and are employed tentatively by those who write and teach of these wonderful regions of the mind. Among these terms we find "infra­conscious," which is used to designate the planes of mental activity below and above the ordinary plane of consciousness. In this term, the word "infra" is used in the sense of inner, within, etc., rather than its more familiar sense of "below." Hence "infra­conscious" means an inner consciousness, or within­consciousness, and includes the mental planes commonly known as the "sub conscious" and "super conscious," respectively. The term is far from being satisfactory, but it is used by psychologists, tentatively, and will be until some other more fitting term is evolved.

      The older school of psychology ignored, so far as possible, the infra­conscious planes and fields of mental activity, and regarded consciousness as synonymous with mind—and by "consciousness" was meant merely the plane of the ordinary consciousness. But the phenomena of the hidden planes of mentation would not stay in the dark corner in which the psychologists were compelled to place them, but would constantly present themselves most inopportunely, as if to perplex the teachers, and to confute their theories. And so, little by little, there was tacitly admitted to exist an unknown and unexplored region of the mind which was at first labeled "unconscious mind," although the term was vigorously opposed by many of the authorities as contradictory and meaningless— but the quarrel was rather with the term than with the fact.

      The psychologists who began to use the term "unconscious mind" soon found sufficient authority among certain of the older writers, which served as a foundation for the newer theories and teachings which began to evolve when the conception of the "unconscious mind" had begun to take upon itself the garb of scientific orthodoxy. It was found that Leibnitz had asserted that there were certain mental activities in evidence, which certainly manifested in the "unconscious" region of the mind, and the influence of the older philosopher was added to the new teaching. As Carpenter said: "The psychologists of Germany, from the time of Leibnitz, have taught that much of our mental work is done without consciousness." Sir William Hamilton said: "To this great philosopher (Leibnitz) belongs the honor of having originated this opinion, and of having supplied some of the strongest arguments in its support." Kay said: "Leibnitz was the first to confute this opinion (that consciousness was coextensive with mind), and to establish the doctrine that there are energies always at work, and modifications constantly taking place in the mind, of which we are quite unconscious."

      Basing the new conception upon Leibnitz and his followers, the psychologist began to write freely regarding this great "unconscious" area of the mind. But, nevertheless, it was regarded by many of the more conservative authorities as an unwarrantable extension of psychological inquiry into a field which properly belonged to metaphysics. Schofield says: "So many psychologists—the high priests of the religion of mind— being committed so generally to deny and refuse any extension of it outside consciousness, though they cannot refrain from what Ribot calls ‘a sly glance’ at the forbidden fruit, consistently ignore the existence of the Unconscious, their pupils naturally treading in their steps; while the physician of the period, revelling in the multiplication and elaboration of physical methods of diagnosis and experiment, is led to despise and contemptuously set aside as ‘only fancy’ those psychical agencies which can cure, if they cannot diagnose. It may be asked, why was not an attempt made sooner to give these unconscious faculties their proper place? It was made determinedly years ago in Germany, and since then in England, by men who, to their honor undeterred by ridicule and contempt, made noble and partially successful efforts to establish the truth."

      But we may find many important references to this great "unconscious" area of mind in the writings of the earlier of the older writers on the subject in the Nineteenth Century. Sir William Hamilton, Lewes, Carpenter and others referred freely to it, and taught it as a truth of psychology. Lewes said: "The teaching of most modern psychologists is that consciousness forms but a small item in the total of psychical processes. Unconscious sensations, ideas and judgments are made to play a great part in their explanations. It is very certain that in every conscious volition—every act that is so characterized—the larger part of it is quite unconscious. It is equally certain that in every perception there are unconscious processes of reproduction and inference,—there is a middle distance of subconsciousness, and a background of unconsciousness." Sir William Hamilton said: "I do not hesitate to affirm that what we are conscious of is constructed out of what we are not conscious of—that our whole knowledge in fact is made up of the unknown and incognizable. The sphere of our consciousness is only a small circle in the centre of a far wider sphere of action and passion, of which we are only conscious through its effects…. The fact of such latent mental modifications is now established beyond a rational doubt; and, on the supposition of their reality, we are able to solve various psychological phenomena otherwise inexplicable."

      Taine said: "Mental events imperceptible