Creation; Evolution; Human beings -- Origin; Natural selection
choice, memory, imagination, the association of ideas, and reason,
though in very different degrees. The individuals of the same species
graduate in intellect from absolute imbecility to high excellence; they
are also liable to insanity, though far less often than in the case of
man."[53] Nevertheless, in the face of these facts, many authors have
insisted that man is divided by an inseparable barrier from all the
lower animals in his mental faculties. It only shows the improper or
imperfect consideration of the subject they have under discussion.
It may be thought at first that some of the mental attributes mentioned
above are not possessed by animals. I therefore will briefly consider a
few of the more complex ones. We can dismiss the consideration of such
attributes as happiness, terror, suspicion, courage, timidity, jealousy,
shame, and wonder, as well-known attributes. _Curiosity_ in animals is
often observed. An instance mentioned by Brehm will serve to illustrate:
Brehm gives a curious account of the instinctive dread which his monkeys
exhibited for snakes; but their curiosity was so great that they could
not desist from occasionally satiating their horror in a most human
fashion, by lifting up the lid of the box in which the snakes were kept.
_Imitation_ is also found among the action of animals, especially among
monkeys, which are well known to be ridiculous mockers.
It is unnecessary to refer to the faculty of attention, as it is common
to almost all animals, and the same may be said of memory as for persons
or places.
One would hesitate to believe an animal possesses _imagination_, but
such is the case. Dreaming, it will be admitted, gives us the best
notion of this power. Now as dogs, cats, horses, and probably all the
higher animals, even birds, have vivid dreams--this is shown by their
movements and the sounds uttered--"we must admit," says Darwin, "they
possess some power of imagination. There must be something special which
causes dogs to howl in the night, and especially during moonlight, in
that remarkable and melancholy manner, called baying. All dogs do not do
so; and, according to Housyeau,[54] they do not look at the moon, but at
some fixed point near the horizon. Housyeau thinks that their
imaginations are disturbed by the vague outlines of the surrounding
objects, and conjure up before them fantastic images; if this be so,
their feelings may almost be called superstitious."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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