THE SCIENCE OF BREATH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 71, 10 April 1937, Page 11

THE SCIENCE OF BREATH

Wben Dr. J. McKeen Cattell became professor of psychology at tbe University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., in 18S8, he was tbe first occupant of tbe first chair. of psychology in any university. Tbe word psychology^ of Greek origin, meant literally "science of" the fcreath," and was given that meaning because the Greeks associated the breath with life itself. Wben tbey cOserved tbe breatb leaving tbe body cf a dying person tbey felt that witb it went tbe soul. So tbe science of breatb meant the science of tbe soul. Late~, wben the soul came to have a different and more specificaily religious'

ueaning, psychology was called tbe science of tbe mind, says "Science Servfie." Still later it became known as tbe science of consciousness. Much more reeently it bas been proposed tbat.it should be called tbe science of bebaviour. This development of tbe term psychology suggested .tbe following witiicism, quoted by Dr. Samuel W. Fernbeiger, of the University of Pennsylvania, in bis new book on "Elementary General Psychology": — "Psychologists first lost tbeir breatb, thcn tbey lost their soul, tben tbeir mind, and now, with tbe developing interest in reactions, tbey are rapidly losig consciousness."