Nineteenth-century inhibitory theories of thinking: Bain, Ferrier, Freud (and Phineas Gage)

The theories of thinking of Alexander Bain, David Ferrier, and Sigmund Freud are examined and their relation to Phineas Gage explored. During the 19th century Ferrier derived an inhibitory-motor theory of thinking from a similar theory of Bain's, and aspects of Freud's theory of thinking resemble both. All 3 theories were modeled on the sensory-motor reflex, and all proposed that thinking was inhibited action. Ferrier used his theory to explain the behavior of monkeys whose frontal lobes were ablated and the disinhibited behavior Phineas Gage exhibited after massive damage to his frontal lobes. I show there is some possibility that Freud knew the Bain-Ferrier theory of thinking and its application to Gage.