It has already been stated that in the intelligent behaviour of animals
under man’s teaching he is the rational agent, they his willing slaves.
This may be here again illustrated to enforce the distinction drawn
by Dr. Stout in the above passage. Those who have seen a shepherd’s
dog working sheep on a moorland fell, and have taken the trouble to
ascertain how the results he sees have been attained, will appreciate,
on the one hand, how well the dog knows and responds to the signals of
his master, and, on the other hand, how completely all initiation is
in the master’s mind, not that of the keenly intelligent dog. Those
who merely witness such a performance without inquiry or investigation
will probably misunderstand the whole matter. In the north of England
competitions are not uncommon where, say, three sheep have to be driven
over a definite course, between certain posts and round others,
through narrow passages and into a fold--all within a certain time
limit. At such a competition success depends on two things: first,
the training of the dog to respond at once to some six or eight
whistle-signals, often accompanied by gestures and movements of a
stick; and secondly, the judgment of the shepherd. The signals, given
in different whistle-tones and inflections, have for the dog meaning,
such as drive straight on, from this side, from that, stop, lie down,
creep, and so forth. The dog’s whole business is to obey these signals.
And the instant response of a well-trained dog is admirable. But in the
whole proceeding he is merely the executant of his master’s orders.
He originates no important step. And if you listen to the criticisms
by other shepherds during a competition you will find that they are
mainly passed on the judgment shown by the master, and only in palpable
failures in obedience on the behaviour of the dog. The intelligent
animal is what he is trained to be--one whose natural powers are under
the complete control of his master with whom the whole plan of action
lies.
Since, then, in the cognitional field we find no independent evidence
of the higher processes, we are bound, in accordance with our canon, to
interpret emotional situations on similar principles, unless we find in
them outstanding facts which cannot be explained in this way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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