Such being the nature of mental life, the business of psychology is primarily to describe in detail the various forms which attention or conation assumes upon the different levels of that life.

In the perception of a tree we can distinguish the act of experiencing, or perceiving, from the thing experienced, or perceived.

But though cognition is not an element of mental action, nor even in any real sense of the word an aspect of it, the distinction of cognition and conation has if properly defined a definite value.

Psychology is the science of the act of experiencing, and deals with the whole system of such acts as they make up mental life.

The interval between a cold expectation and a warm desire may be filled by expectations of varying degrees of warmth or by desires of varying degrees of coldness.

Curiosity begins as an act of tearing to pieces or analysis.

It may be added, to prevent misunderstanding, that when I speak of contemplated objects in this last phrase as objects of contemplation, the act of contemplation itself is of course an enjoyment.

But unfortunately Locke treated ideas of reflection as if they were another class of objects of contemplation beside ideas of sensation.

An expectation is a future object, recognised as belonging to me.

Both expectations and memories are more than mere images founded on previous experience.

We cannot therefore say that mental acts contain a cognitive as well as a conative element.

... a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.

It's your eyes, I think. They promise something kind. Heaven help the world should you ever turn dark. You would send Satan himself scrambling.

The instinct of the thief is most strongly marked in the Skua tribe, and I am afraid that the mere love of thieving alone actuates them on many occasions.

I am easily satisfied with the very best.

The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly.

they have enough testosterone between them, if testosterone were electricity they could light up New York City for the month of August

I love mysticism - it's such fun.

To be physically fit is just a small aspect. You can be a beautiful physical specimen, but you're empty as far as what it takes to be a person, and that shows up real fast

We need new friends; some of us are cannibals who have eaten their old friends up; others must have ever-renewed audiences before whom to re-enact the ideal version of their lives.

Colour is, on the evidence of language alone, very bound up with the feelings.