The Soul, or Rational Psychology

"...therefore, anyone who desires the end goal must also desire the means to reach it." He then proceeds to arrange into chapters what he calls "the first fruits of my psychological labors."*

The reverence and cautious modesty that consistently balance the author’s passion for his sublime goal are evident in his comments four years later. In his work The Animal Kingdom original: Regnum Animale. In Swedenborg's usage, this refers to the "Kingdom of the Soul" (anima), specifically the human body as the soul's domain, rather than the modern biological category of animals., he mentions this same "Introduction original: "Prodromus" on the Human Soul." He writes:

"Not long ago, I published The Economy of the Animal Kingdom original: Oeconomia Regni Animalis. "Economy" here refers to the functional organization and management of the body's systems., a work divided into distinct treatises. However, it dealt only with the blood, the arteries, the heart, and the movement of the brain and its outer layers original: "cortical substance". Before exploring the entire field in detail, I made a quick transition to the soul and published an introductory work regarding it. But upon deeper reflection, I realized that I had headed toward that goal both too hurriedly and too soon, having only explored the blood and its specific organs. I took that step driven by an intense desire for knowledge. However, because the soul operates in the highest and most internal things, and does not reveal herself until all her protective layers original: "swathings" have been unfolded one by one, I am determined to allow myself no rest until I have traveled through the entire 'animal kingdom' to reach the soul. In this way, I hope that by continually moving inward, I shall open all the doors that lead to her, and finally contemplate the soul herself, by Divine permission" (Prologue to The Animal Kingdom, no. 19).

Accordingly, in the work The Animal Kingdom, the author proceeds to examine the various parts of the human body in detail, omitting those already covered in the Economy—namely, the heart, the vessels, and the blood (Prologue to Part III, An. King., no. 469). Part I deals with the organs of taste and digestion, the glands, the gall bladder, the kidneys, and so on. Part II deals with the internal organs of the chest original: "Viscera of the Thorax", or the organs of the upper region. Part III covers the skin, the senses of touch and taste, and organic forms in general. It is worth noting that the brain is neither mentioned by the author as having been "fully treated" in the Economy, nor is it included in the three parts of The Animal Kingdom as they were translated and published in the volumes under that name. The treatises on the brain, which hold such a prominent place in the author's planned summary of his works, were intended by him to form the next section, or Part IV of The Animal Kingdom. This is clear from his statement at the end of section 468 in the Prologue to Part III. The extensive manuscripts left by the author covering this major division of his work have been partially brought to light through the translations of Dr. J. J. G. Wilkinson.

• The Twelve Theses, or Statement of Principles, contained in this important chapter (the "Introduction on the Human Soul"), we have decided to present to the reader as an appendix to this current work. We have omitted the lengthy explanations and proofs that follow each point in the original (see Appendix I).