ABSTRACT
In July 1949 the Society of Experimental Biology and the Institute of Animal Behavior together organized a Symposium for the discussion of a wide range of problems, neurological, physiological and psychological, in which the members of both groups were interested. A major source of motivation which influenced K. S. Lashley throughout most of his professional life was the desire to formulate a comprehensive theory of learning. He was, of course, certain that any tenable theory would have to be of a neuro-physiological nature, and he made several attempts in this direction. Being convinced that simple connectionism would never explain learning, Lashley was inclined toward some form of field theory, but despite the brilliance of his speculations he was never satisfied with any of them for very long. Although he was unconvinced by his own theories, many of Lashley's formulations had significant impact upon contemporary thought and stimulated much original research.
