▲我重新写一下你的句子：

He began to wonder whether we could ever make psychology so absolute a science that each little spring of life would be revealed to us. As it was, we always misunderstood ourselves and rarely understood others. Experience was of no ethical value. It was merely the name men gave to their mistakes.

【译文】他开始考虑我们是否能使心理学彻底成为一门科学，向我们揭示生活的一切动力。我们似乎常常误解自己，也很少理解别人。经验不具有伦理价值。它只不过是人赐给错误的名字。

as it is是个英语习语，其过去式是as it was。稍加分析我们就看出，它实际是as引导的方式状语从句。可置于主句句首，也可句末。基本意思是“照现状看；看样子”。也可引申为“其实是；实际上；事实上；既然如此。”as it was在译文中翻译为“似乎”，是可以接受的。

以下例句中，as it is都隐隐约约含有这些意思，尽管不那么直接。括号里的解释是我的理解：

Leave it as it is.让它照现在的样子放在那儿。（按原样）

Don't say anything more; she's feeling bad enough as it is.你别说了，她心里正不好受呢！（实际上）

We're busy enough as it is; don't give us more trouble.我们够忙的，别再来凑热闹儿了。（确实是）

What do you want for more money for? Y ou're earning good pay as it is!你为何还要更多的钱? 你现在的工资就不少了! （事实是）

As it is, he is only a brave and just-minded Delaware.眼下, 他还只是个又勇敢又正直的特拉华人。（照现状看）

Don't shut the door , it's all right as it is.不要关门, 开着好。（原本是）

▲刚才讲了as it is和as it was，后者是前者的过去式

关于as it were，也是一个英语习语。但跟前面两个不同，意思上往往含有“不符实际或比喻”的口吻，使用时多以插入语的面貌出现。例如：

He became, as it were, a man without a country.他在某种程度上成了一个无国籍的人。

He is, as it were, a walking dictionary.他可以说是一部活字典。

This was, as it were, his unspoken apology to everyone.他好像是用这句话求大家的原谅,可是不肯对大家这么直说。

Old Jolyon's sense of justice had risen, as it were, from bed.老乔里恩的正义感好象从九泉下升了起来。

The new manager is not equal to the task, as it were.新经理对这项工作可以说是不能胜任的。

He gets the solid shape, as it were, inside his head.可以这样说, 他把立体的形体放在头脑里。

Anna translated it, as it were , into Marion's normal voice.安娜把这问话还原成玛丽恩的清醒的语调。

He is, as it were, an eternal boy.他好像是个永远年轻的小伙子。

They will be able, as it were, to see and hear us in action.他们能够身临其境般地观看我们做事,倾听我们讲话。