The Herbartian psychology applied to education : being a series of essays applying the psychology of Johann Friedrich Herbart / by John Adams.

  • Adams, John, 1857-1934.
Date:
[1900?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Herbartian psychology applied to education : being a series of essays applying the psychology of Johann Friedrich Herbart / by John Adams. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    You are not to suppose that Guyau proposes to set off the whole school into a hypnotic trance, and then mould the passive minds into knowledge. Scientific psychophysicists have now made up their minds that hypnotic suggestion may act without the formality of the trance, and what Guyau wants us to do is to apply this principle in dealing with our pupils. If he is to be believed, They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk; They'll tell the clock to any business that We say befits the hour. The whole subject is yet too much in the clouds for us to form very definite conclusions ; but it is surely of the utmost importance that we as teachers should know that such matters are being discussed. There are timid spirits among us who are inclined to think that the less said on such subjects the better. But it is well to re- member that in all probability every teacher to-day, in this practical land of ours, does make use of hypnotism. What is the meaning of that mysterious power that every good teacher exerts over his pupils ? Above all, what is the meaning of that Sympathy of Numbers that we hear so much of in our school-management books, and to so little purpose? There certainly is more in our every-day work in school than is dreamt of in the philosophical introductions to our school-management books. But while it is well to keep our minds open to all sources from which truth may come, it is evident that the Suggestion school is not yet in a position to make practical recommendations, much less to set up a Psychology that shall enable us to arrive at a true know-