The evolution of general ideas

"The Evolution of General Ideas" by Th. Ribot is a study examining how our minds develop the skills to form abstract and general ideas, moving from simple beginnings to intricate thought patterns. The book looks closely at the mental steps involved in abstraction and generalization, which the author believes are essential for how we understand things around us, use language, and think logically. The preface sets the stage by describing the author's plan to investigate how our minds become capable of abstraction and generalization, making a distinction between thought processes that happen before and after we learn to speak. The work introduces "inferior abstraction," a concept connected to the way animals, young children, and deaf individuals think before they learn language. Through watching and studying these mental processes, Ribot intends to trace how our intelligence grows step by step, with each stage shaped by what we learn and the language we use.