The Elemental Sense

Science informs us that all of the five senses of man, viz., the

respective senses of touch, sight, hearing, taste, and smell are but

modifications of one elementary sense namely the sense of touch; and

that the other senses have been gradually evolved from that one

elementary sense. This is seen to be the case when it is realized that

the only way that we "sense" the presence of an outside object--be that

object eithe a material substance, a vibration of the air, or an

etheric vibration of light--is by that outside object coming in contact,

directly or indirectly, with one or more of our sensory nerves, the

latter conveying the report of the contact to the brain, which

translates the sensation into what is called a "perception." This is

true of the sensations of touch, sight, hearing, taste, and smell, and

of senses higher than these and which as yet are not recognized by

science. Consequently, the consciousness of the presence of an outside

thing arises from contact with that outside thing through the channel of

the sense of touch, or of some of its more complex evolved phases.