The article is introduced by quotations from some thinkeris, who, in the field of the theory of cognition, distinguished two aspects in the cognition process: cognition reached by way of logic, and immediate cognition, which also accompanies man’s thinking in preceiving reality. The main points contained in the article are : sources of activities, thinking and cognition, their phylogenetic and ontogenetic elucidation. It deals with spontaneous imitation and imitation under guidance, and with sensorial attention . The following sources are mentioned as important: "social practice , science, art, upbringing, education and instruction . A nother part of the article contains an elucidation of activities, thinking and cognition from the view point of characteristic features of mental development. Besides some applications to education and instruction, the article deals with the influence of the pupils’ collective on activities, thinking, and cognition.
From the view point of teaching methods, memory exercises a very important function and its place is stressed from the view point of the theory of cognition. In the end the terms »definitions«, »theorems« are characterised as the results of activities, thinking and cognition.
The author aims at making clear the relation of the theory of cognition to the teaching process not only from the logical aspect, but also from the other source, which is the immediate insight into the phenomena of reality .