ABSTRACT
T he structure of the new-born very soon experiences a series of essential changes which are designated as developmental progressions. The word progress is not entirely a happy one. It is not used to express any judgment of values, but as a descriptive term for phenomena which the new-born still lacks and the appearance of which makes the infant more like the adult human being. But one must remember that develop ment does not run its course uniformly, and that, therefore, some phenomenon foreign to the new-born’s structure, or scarcely indicated in it, nevertheless forms itself clearly in the next developmental period, though it is at first very dissimilar to the norm-structures of the adult ; so that it is difficult to decide whether the earlier or later stage is closer to the adult, although they differ from each other so greatly. It would be well if there were a suitable word to designate such changes which, in the circuitous route of development, deviate from the starting-point of development without approaching directly the end-point. There is no such term ; we therefore use “ pro gress ” more unconcernedly than we should if we knew that such roundabout ways as these were necessary steps.
