The Principle of creative synthesis or creative results (the emergence principle). "Every perception can be broken down into elemental impressions. But it is never just the sum of these impressions, but from the linkage of them that a new one is created with individual features that were not contained in the impressions themselves. We thus put together the mental picture of a spatial form from a multitude of impressions of light. This principle proves itself in all mental causality linkages and accompanies mental development from its first to its consummate stage." Wundt formulated this creative synthesis, which today would also be described as the principle of emergence in system theory, as an essential epistemological principle of empirical psychology – long before the phrase the whole is more than the sum of its parts or supra-summation was used in gestalt psychology.Wundt: Vorlesungen über Menschen- und Tierseele, 1863, Volume 1, p. 435 f.Wundt: Erlebtes und Erkanntes, 1920, p. 183. The Principle of relational analysis (context principle). This principle says that "every individual mental content receives its meaning through the relationships in which it stands to other mental content."Wundt: Grundriss der Psychologie, 1920, p. 401. The Principle of mental contrasts or reinforcement of opposites or development in dichotomies. Typical contrast effects are to be seen in sensory perceptions, in the course of emotions and in volitional processes. There is a general tendency to order the subjective world according to opposites. Thus many individual, historical, economic and social processes exhibit highly contrasting developments.Wundt: Grundzüge, 1902–1903, Volume 3, S. 785. The Principle of the heterogony of purpose (ends). The consequences of an action extend beyond the original intended purpose and give rise to new motives with new effects. The intended purpose always induces side-effects and knock-on effects that themselves become purposes, i.e. an ever-growing organisation through self-creation.Wundt: Grundzüge, 1902–1903, Volume 3, p. 789. In addition to these four principles, Wundt explained the term of intellectual community and other categories and principles that have an important relational and insightful function.Wundt: Grundzüge, 1902–1903, Volume 3.
The Principle of creative synthesis or creative results (the emergence principle). "Every perception can be broken down into elemental impressions. But it is never just the sum of these impressions, but from the linkage of them that a new one is created with individual features that were not contained in the impressions themselves. We thus put together the mental picture of a spatial form from a multitude of impressions of light. This principle proves itself in all mental causality linkages and accompanies mental development from its first to its consummate stage." Wundt formulated this creative synthesis, which today would also be described as the principle of emergence in system theory, as an essential epistemological principle of empirical psychology – long before the phrase the whole is more than the sum of its parts or supra-summation was used in gestalt psychology.Wundt: Vorlesungen über Menschen- und Tierseele, 1863, Volume 1, p. 435 f.Wundt: Erlebtes und Erkanntes, 1920, p. 183. The Principle of relational analysis (context principle). This principle says that "every individual mental content receives its meaning through the relationships in which it stands to other mental content."Wundt: Grundriss der Psychologie, 1920, p. 401. The Principle of mental contrasts or reinforcement of opposites or development in dichotomies. Typical contrast effects are to be seen in sensory perceptions, in the course of emotions and in volitional processes. There is a general tendency to order the subjective world according to opposites. Thus many individual, historical, economic and social processes exhibit highly contrasting developments.Wundt: Grundzüge, 1902–1903, Volume 3, S. 785. The Principle of the heterogony of purpose (ends). The consequences of an action extend beyond the original intended purpose and give rise to new motives with new effects. The intended purpose always induces side-effects and knock-on effects that themselves become purposes, i.e. an ever-growing organisation through self-creation.Wundt: Grundzüge, 1902–1903, Volume 3, p. 789. In addition to these four principles, Wundt explained the term of intellectual community and other categories and principles that have an important relational and insightful function.Wundt: Grundzüge, 1902–1903, Volume 3.