The Physical Basis of Mind

The Physical Basis of Mind, by George Henry Lewes, is the second series of Problems of Life and Mind. The text says that when the cerebral hemispheres are carefully removed from a reptile or a bird, all the essentially vital functions go on pretty much as before, but a great disturbance in some of the psychical functions is observed. The text says the brainless bird eats, drinks, sleeps, moves its limbs separately and in combination, and performs such instinctive actions as preening its feathers.

A chapter headed The Problem Stated says that the peculiarity of the Reflex Theory is its exclusion of Sensibility from the actions classed as reflex. A passage on reflex actions says no one denies that most of the reflex actions often have conscious sensations preceding and accompanying them, but that these are said not to be essential to the performance of the actions. A passage on growth says that if the pabulum were supplied, and if there were no antagonism thwarting its assimilation, growth would of course continue without pause, or end, but that in reality this cannot be so.