| Summary: | "The treatise now offered to the public, though the outgrowth of studies which the author has long pursued with pleasure, immediately originated from aims which have been entertained during the last ten or twelve years. First of all it has been his effort to compose a metaphysical system satisfactory to himself. Discontent with the various published theories of belief and conviction forced him to form new views on these fundamental topics; and, from this beginning, he was led on to attempt a general reconstruction of the philosophy of mind. While deeply conscious of imperfection both in the design and in the execution of this undertaking, he yet is confident that the leading doctrines advocated have been framed correctly, and cannot be set aside by future investigations. Along with the desire of producing a satisfactory philosophy, the ambition arose to write a scientific book, such as every American gentleman should have for reading and for reference. During the composition of this treatise, the author has had in view those thousands of our people, whose education has interested them, more or less, in metaphysical studies. He felt assured that this considerable body of his fellow-citizens would welcome a volume in which the principal names and terms, questions and controversies, of mental philosophy might be compendiously presented and discussed. He sincerely hopes that the system expounded in the following pages may secure the attention and approbation of learned professors, but the treatise has not been specially prepared for them. Finally, the adaptation of the work for use in our higher educational institutions, has been a constant aim with the author. In furtherance of this end, he has distinguished separate dissertations by the numbering of sections, has indicated specific topics by side-headings, and has employed many logical divisions and definitions. The advocacy of new opinions renders the book larger than would be needful, if it were merely the digest of a finished science; yet the study of the whole volume is recommended in all cases in which this may be found practicable. At the same time, certain discussions, concerning matters which are not essential to a fair knowledge of psychology, and which are not commonly considered in text-books, may properly be passed over by those who do not wish to make a specialty of metaphysics"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).
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