i8o THE GROUNDWORK OF SCIENCE

К оглавлению1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 
34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 
51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 
68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 
85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 
102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 
119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 
136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 
153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 
170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179  181 182 183 184 185 186 
187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 
204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 
221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 
238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 
255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 
272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 
289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 
306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 
323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 
340 

 

ness, they possess consentience, for we cannot doubt that in

them, as in us, sensitive influences of different kinds are

received into one common sensorium. A tiger not only

hears the plaintive cries of its victim, but at the same time can

see and feel its writhing limbs, and taste and smell its blood.

Such sensations also, no doubt, call up within it more or

less distinct reminiscences of similar feelings previously ex-

perienced, and give rise to vivid emotions and to appropriate

actions.

 

But the irrationality of animals is shown by what, if they

were rational, would have to be called their exceeding stu-

pidity. Acts which would be reckoned as signs of extreme

obtuseness in us are common enough amongst animals usually

reckoned as the most intelligent. The fidelity of dogs is

proverbial, but in a sudden scuffle it is by no means an

unprecedented thing for a dog to fly at its own master.

 

Dogs have seen fuel put upon fires again and again, yet

what dog ever puts on any itself to maintain the heat it so

much enjoys ? Apes have been said sometimes to warm

themselves at deserted fires, yet no one asserts that they

have replenished them. It is quite wonderful they do not,

for such an act seems to come well within the scope of mere

sensuous faculties. Some readers may have had a pet cat

which has now and again got a piece of bone fixed between

its back teeth. The useless motions the animal, when so

circumstanced, will make with its paw are sufficiently ir-

rational ; but although the accident may have occurred to it

several times, it will act in the same way again and again,

and will sometimes stupidly struggle against its master while

he removes the object which distresses it, and, as soon as it

is removed, the animal will go off licking its jaws without a

sign of gratitude for the relief afforded.

 

Swallows will continue to build on a house which they can

see is being pulled down, and flies will deposit their eggs on

 

 

ness, they possess consentience, for we cannot doubt that in

them, as in us, sensitive influences of different kinds are

received into one common sensorium. A tiger not only

hears the plaintive cries of its victim, but at the same time can

see and feel its writhing limbs, and taste and smell its blood.

Such sensations also, no doubt, call up within it more or

less distinct reminiscences of similar feelings previously ex-

perienced, and give rise to vivid emotions and to appropriate

actions.

 

But the irrationality of animals is shown by what, if they

were rational, would have to be called their exceeding stu-

pidity. Acts which would be reckoned as signs of extreme

obtuseness in us are common enough amongst animals usually

reckoned as the most intelligent. The fidelity of dogs is

proverbial, but in a sudden scuffle it is by no means an

unprecedented thing for a dog to fly at its own master.

 

Dogs have seen fuel put upon fires again and again, yet

what dog ever puts on any itself to maintain the heat it so

much enjoys ? Apes have been said sometimes to warm

themselves at deserted fires, yet no one asserts that they

have replenished them. It is quite wonderful they do not,

for such an act seems to come well within the scope of mere

sensuous faculties. Some readers may have had a pet cat

which has now and again got a piece of bone fixed between

its back teeth. The useless motions the animal, when so

circumstanced, will make with its paw are sufficiently ir-

rational ; but although the accident may have occurred to it

several times, it will act in the same way again and again,

and will sometimes stupidly struggle against its master while

he removes the object which distresses it, and, as soon as it

is removed, the animal will go off licking its jaws without a

sign of gratitude for the relief afforded.

 

Swallows will continue to build on a house which they can

see is being pulled down, and flies will deposit their eggs on