The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in Plain English: or, Medicine Simplified, 54th ed., One Million, Six Hundred; and Fifty ThousandPierce, Ray Vaughn
Philosophy
The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in Plain English: or, Medicine Simplified, 54th ed., One Million, Six Hundred; and Fifty Thousand
Pierce, Ray Vaughn
Medicine, Popular
Man possesses not only a complete sympathetic system, the rudiments of
which are found in worms and insects, and a complete spinal system, less
perfectly displayed in fishes, birds, and quadrupeds, but, superadded to
all these is a magnificent cerebrum, and, as we have seen, all parts of
the body are connected by the nervous system. The subtle play of sensory
and motor impulses, of sentient and spiritual forces, indicates a
perfection of nervous endowments nowhere paralleled, and barely
approached by inferior animals. This meager reference to brainless
animals, whoso knots of ganglia throughout their bodies act
automatically as little brains, shows that instinct arises
simultaneously with the development of the functions over which it
presides. Here begins rudimentary, unreasoning intelligence. It
originates within the body as an inward, vital impulse, is manifested in
an undeviating manner, and therefore displays no intention or
discretion. While Dr. Carpenter likens the human organism "to a keyed
instrument, from which any music it is capable of producing can be
called forth at the will of the performer," he compares "a bee or any
other insect to a barrel organ, which plays with the greatest exactness
a certain number of tunes that are set upon it, but can do nothing
else." Instinct cannot learn from experience, or improve by practice;
but it seems to be the prophetic germ of a higher intelligence. It is
nearly as difficult to draw the dividing line between instinct and a low
grade of intelligence, as it is to distinguish between the psychical and
psychological[4] functions of the brain.
The intimate relation of instinct to intelligence is admirably
illustrated in the working honey-bee. With forethought it selects a
habitation, constructs comb, collects honey, provides a cell for the
ova, covers the chrysalis, for which it deposits special nourishment,
and is disposed to defend its possessions. It is a social insect, lives
in colonies, chastises trespassers, fights its enemies, and defends its
home. It manifests a degree of intelligence, but its sagacity is
instinctive. Reason, though not so acute as instinct, becomes, by
education, discerning and keenly penetrative, and reveals the very
secrets of profound thought. We recall the aptness of Prof. Agassiz's
remark: _"There is even a certain antagonism between instinct and
intelligence, so that instinct loses its force and peculiar
characteristics, whenever intelligence becomes developed."_ Animals
having larger reasoning powers manifest less instinct, and some, as the
leopard, exercise both in a limited degree. This double endowment with
instinct and low reasoning intelligence, is indicated by his lying in
ambush awaiting his prey, the hiding-place being selected near the haunt
of other animals, where nature offers some allurement to gratify the
appetite.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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