The Psychology of Reasoning

THIS is a translation of the second edition of M. Binet's well-known book, the main object of which is to show the essential similarity of perception and reasoning, and to illustrate the nature of the latter by our more complete knowledge of the former, especially with reference to the part played in perception by mental images. When the “Psychologic duraisonnement” first appeared, the more or less novel facts about mental imagery discovered by Galton and Charcot were described in a clear and interesting manner, and this feature remains without alteration.In fact no appreciable alterations have been made in the present edition, even when called for; thus Parinaud's evidence in favour of the central seat of after-images is repeated, although generally acknowledged to rest on a misconception of the relations between the two eyes. The book is full of interesting psychological facts; but unfortunately most of these are drawn from hypnotic experiments, and Binet does not yet appear to have recognised that, owing to the influence of unconscious suggestion, itis very dangerous to found psychological theories on such a basis.The Psychology of Reasoning.By Alfred Binet. Translated by Adam Gowans Whyte. Pp. 191. (Chicago: Open Court Publishing Company. London: Kegan Paul and Co., Ltd., 1899.)