Mental Measurement and the Foundations of Psychology in Nineteenth Century Austrian Philosophy

Building upon Kant’s concept of intensive magnitude, Herbart developed a method for the measurement of the relative intensity of mental presentations. This relativistic strategy strongly influenced Austrian thinkers and scientists. Among those who further developed this approach, a special mention is deserved by Hering, who strongly influences Brentano. With an audacious move, Meinong claimed that both intensive and extensive magnitudes occur within the mental. As a consequence of Russell’s criticism of this tenet, Meinong retreated and developed the Theory of objects.