ABSTRACT
The realization that an individual can act as if he were driven by a desire to achieve a definite and persistent purpose, although he is unaware of the purpose and of acting consistently with it, is one of the new basic ideas which have radically changed psychology as a science. Purposes or action tendencies which are at least partly inhibited, and thus are not in the focus of consciousness, are likely to be expressed in images which are less precise forms of expression than rational and generally understandable speech. Argue as one may over many a psychoanalytic claim, the psychoanalysts have demonstrated the existence of drives of which the individual is unaware, but which nevertheless are definite, purposeful, consistent, and enduring. These drives, among which are found some of the most fateful tendencies of many individuals, are called unconscious because the individuals are not aware of them. Observers can recognize these definite drives in indefinite and unclear signs; sometimes it is necessary to observe a person for a long time and to engage in a good deal of inductive and deductive reasoning to detect the powerful unconscious drives. By contrast, logical thinking expressed in words and sentences must be as impersonal, universal, and lucid as possible if the resultant thoughts are to have the same meaning for all to whom they are communicable. A high degree of consciousness, consistency, and training is required to express clear and communicable thoughts. The more an idea drifts away from the focal point of consciousness, or the farther it is from reaching this focus, the less clear it becomes. Yet, lack of clarity in logical formulation and dimness of the state of consciousness in which the idea is apprehended do not necessarily deprive the idea of clarity of its implied meaning, of the definiteness of purpose expressed by it, or of the tenacity of effort with which its realization is pursued.
