When a representation R rises, it may encounter an obstacle not strong enough to prevent its rise, or be aided by advantageous forces

Herbart develops his theory of disposition on the basis of persisting (stehende) and rising (steigende) representations (SW VI: 57).[50] That is, all dispositions must ultimately be explicable in terms of persisting or rising representations, and nothing else. Taking first the case of a representation (or representational series) R that stands still in consciousness, its persistence may be due to the simultaneous and countervailing forces exerted on it by rising and inhibiting representations,