Fechner

Fechner, GUSTAV THEODOR, one of the founders of psychophysics, the science of the relations between the mental and the physical sides of man's nature, was born at Gross-Särchen in Lower Lusatia, 19th April 1801. After studying physics at Leipzig, he became professor of the sciences comprehended under that name in the same university in 1834, his labours being principally devoted to galvanism, electro-chemistry, and the theory of colour. Five years later, however, in consequence of a disease of the eyes, he abandoned these branches for that of philosophy and psychophysics. His most important book on this subject is Elemente der Psychophysik (2 vols. 1860), whilst on galvanism he wrote Massbestimmungen über die galvanische Kette (1831), and brought out an enlarged translation of Biot's Handbook of Experimental Physics (5 vols. 1828-29). Besides these he wrote some books on belief and on the soul, and under the pen-name of Dr Mises published a number of smaller miscellaneous works, including a volume of Humorous Essays (1824) and another of Poems (1842). In Mind for 1876 will be found a paper on Fechner's psycho-physical law by James Ward. Fechner died 18th November 1887.