The essay discusses the emergence of modern psychology as a science in the late 19th century. Previously, philosophy and physiology studied the mind but it was not until 1879 that psychology emerged as its own field of scientific study. The essay notes how Descartes' philosophical dualism of mind and body, and his theory of the pineal gland influencing interactions, contributed to early understandings. It also discusses how universities became centers for the new "scientific" knowledge and restricted access primarily to elite classes.