[72]. I forbear to enter into the question of the nature of consciousness and matter. In the last analysis, matter and mind probably are to be identified as different manifestations of one and the same principle—the doctrine of monism—call it psychical, spiritual, or material, or energy, as you like, according to your fondness for names. For our purpose it is not necessary to touch this philosophical problem as we are dealing only with specific biological experiences.
[73]. Also quite commonly termed the Subconscious. Unfortunately the term unconscious, as noun or adjective, is used in two senses, viz., (1) pertaining to unawareness (for example, I am unconscious of such and such a thing), and (2) in the sense of not having the psychological attribute of consciousness, i.e., non-conscious.
In the first sense the adjective is used, as in the phrase “unconscious process” to define a process of which we are unaware without connotation as to whether it is a psychological process or a brain process; also the noun (The Unconscious) is used to signify something not in awareness regardless of whether that something is psychological or not; on the other hand, as an adjective it is also used, as in the phrase “unconscious ideas,” to specifically signify real ideas of which we are unaware.
In the second sense, as noun or adjective, it is used to denote specifically brain residua or processes, which, of course, are devoid of consciousness. With this interchange of meaning the term is apt to be confusing and is lacking in precision. In the text unconscious will be used always with the second meaning, unless inverted commas or the context plainly indicate the first meaning. (Cf. Lecture VIII, pp. 248-254).
[74]. Also termed by some writers unconscious. (See preceding footnote.)
[75]. Pierre Janet: L’automatisme psychologique, Paris, 1889, and numerous other works.
[76]. Not included in this volume.
[77]. Cf. Prince: The Dissociation; also A Symposium on the Subconscious, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, June-July, 1907; Experiments to Determine Coconscious (Subconscious) Ideation, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, April-May, 1908; Experiments in Psycho-Galvanic Reactions from Coconscious (Subconscious) Ideas in a Case of Multiple Personality, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, June-July, 1908; The Subconscious [Rapports et Comptes Rendus, 6me Congrès International de Psychologie, 1909]; also, My Life as a Dissociated Personality, by B. C. A., Journal of Abnormal Psychology, October-November, 1908.
[78]. The value of subconscious personalities for this purpose has been overlooked, owing, I suppose, to such conditions being unusual and bizarre, and the assumption that they have little in common with ordinary subconscious processes. But it ought to be obvious that in principle it makes little difference whether a subconscious system is constellated into a large self-conscious system called a personality, or whether it is restricted to a system limited to a few particular coconscious ideas. In the former case the possibilities of its interfering with the personal consciousness may be more extended and more influential, that is all.