Zweierlei Denken: Ein Beitrag zur Physiologie des Denkens

The essay argues that thinking can be explained as measurable energetic nerve processes and distinguishes two forms: imaginal thinking based on reactivated pathway configurations and conceptual thinking built upon symbolic, language-mediated layers. It follows mental operations from simple reflex arcs to centrally mediated brain processes, describes nerve currents and the formation of durable pathway figures that are readily re-excitable as ideas, treats association as excitation spreading among these pathways, and considers words as second-order symbols. The presentation confines itself to physico-quantitative mechanisms and sets qualitative consciousness aside for separate consideration.