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by habit； thought which was once alive and awake； but it become
unconsciouswalks in its sleep； so to speak。
Y。M。 Illustrate it。
O。M。 Take a herd of cows； feeding in a pasture。 Their
heads are all turned in one direction。 They do that
instinctively； they gain nothing by it； they have no reason for
it； they don't know why they do it。 It is an inherited habit
which was originally thoughtthat is to say； observation of an
exterior fact； and a valuable inference drawn from that
observation and confirmed by experience。 The original wild ox
noticed that with the wind in his favor he could smell his enemy
in time to escape； then he inferred that it was worth while to
keep his nose to the wind。 That is the process which man calls
reasoning。 Man's thought…machine works just like the other
animals'； but it is a better one and more Edisonian。 Man； in the
ox's place； would go further； reason wider： he would face part
of the herd the other way and protect both front and rear。
Y。M。 Did you stay the term instinct is meaningless？
O。M。 I think it is a bastard word。 I think it confuses us；
for as a rule it applies itself to habits and impulses which had
a far…off origin in thought； and now and then breaks the rule and
applies itself to habits which can hardly claim a thought…origin。
Y。M。 Give an instance。
O。M。 Well； in putting on trousers a man always inserts the same old
leg firstnever the other one。 There is no advantage in that；
and no sense in it。 All men do it； yet no man thought it out
and adopted it of set purpose； I imagine。 But it is a habit which
is transmitted； no doubt； and will continue to be transmitted。
Y。M。 Can you prove that the habit exists？
O。M。 You can prove it； if you doubt。 If you will take a
man to a clothing…store and watch him try on a dozen pairs of
trousers； you will see。
Y。M。 The cow illustration is not
O。M。 Sufficient to show that a dumb animal's mental machine
is just the same as a man's and its reasoning processes the same？
I will illustrate further。 If you should hand Mr。 Edison a box
which you caused to fly open by some concealed device he would
infer a spring； and would hunt for it and find it。 Now an uncle
of mine had an old horse who used to get into the closed lot
where the corn…crib was and dishonestly take the corn。 I got the
punishment myself； as it was supposed that I had heedlessly
failed to insert the wooden pin which kept the gate closed。
These persistent punishments fatigued me； they also caused me to
infer the existence of a culprit； somewhere； so I hid myself and
watched the gate。 Presently the horse came and pulled the pin
out with his teeth and went in。 Nobody taught him that； he had
observedthen thought it out for himself。 His process did not
differ from Edison's； he put this and that together and drew an
inferenceand the peg； too； but I made him sweat for it。
Y。M。 It has something of the seeming of thought about it。
Still it is not very elaborate。 Enlarge。
O。M。 Suppose Mr。 Edison has been enjoying some one's
hospitalities。 He comes again by and by； and the house is
vacant。 He infers that his host has moved。 A while afterward；
in another town； he sees the man enter a house； he infers that
that is the new home； and follows to inquire。 Here； now； is the
experience of a gull； as related by a naturalist。 The scene is a
Scotch fishing village where the gulls were kindly treated。 This
particular gull visited a cottage； was fed； came next day and was
fed again； came into the house； next time； and ate with the
family； kept on doing this almost daily； thereafter。 But； once
the gull was away on a journey for a few days； and when it
returned the house was vacant。 Its friends had removed to a
village three miles distant。 Several months later it saw the
head of the family on the street there； followed him home；
entered the house without excuse or apology； and became a daily
guest again。 Gulls do not rank high mentally； but this one had
memory and the reasoning faculty； you see； and applied them
Edisonially。
Y。M。 Yet it was not an Edison and couldn't be developed into one。
O。M。 Perhaps not。 Could you？
Y。M。 That is neither here nor there。 Go on。
O。M。 If Edison were in trouble and a stranger helped him
out of it and next day he got into the same difficulty again； he
would infer the wise thing to do in case he knew the stranger's
address。 Here is a case of a bird and a stranger as related by a
naturalist。 An Englishman saw a bird flying around about his
dog's head； down in the grounds； and uttering cries of distress。
He went there to see about it。 The dog had a young bird in his
mouthunhurt。 The gentleman rescued it and put it on a bush and
brought the dog away。 Early the next morning the mother bird
came for the gentleman； who was sitting on his veranda； and by
its maneuvers persuaded him to follow it to a distant part of the
groundsflying a little way in front of him and waiting for him
to catch up； and so on； and keeping to the winding path； too；
instead of flying the near way across lots。 The distance covered
was four hundred yards。 The same dog was the culprit； he had the
young bird again； and once more he had to give it up。 Now the
mother bird had reasoned it all out： since the stranger had
helped her once； she inferred that he would do it again； she knew
where to find him； and she went upon her errand with confidence。
Her mental processes were what Edison's would have been。 She put
this and that togetherand that is all that thought ISand out
of them built her logical arrangement of inferences。 Edison
couldn't have done it any better himself。
Y。M。 Do you believe that many of the dumb animals can think？
O。M。 Yesthe elephant； the monkey； the horse； the dog； the
parrot； the macaw； the mocking…bird； and many others。 The
elephant whose mate fell into a pit； and who dumped dirt and
rubbish into the pit till bottom was raised high enough to enable
the captive to step out； was equipped with the reasoning quality。
I conceive that all animals that can learn things through
teaching and drilling have to know how to observe； and put this
and that together and draw an inferencethe process of thinking。
Could you teach an idiot of manuals of arms； and to advance；
retreat； and go through complex field maneuvers at the word of
command？
Y。M。 Not if he were a thorough idiot。
O。M。 Well； canary…birds can learn all that； dogs and elephants
learn all sorts of wonderful things。 They must surely be able
to notice； and to put things together； and say to themselves；
〃I get the idea； now： when I do so and so； as per order；
I am praised and fed； when I do differently I am punished。〃
Fleas can be taught nearly anything that a Congressman can。
Y。M。 Granting； then； that dumb animals are able to think
upon a low plane； is there any that can think upon a high one？
Is there one that is well up toward man？
O。M。 Yes。 As a thinker and planner the ant is the equal of
any savage race of men； as a self…educated specialist in several
arts she is the superior of any savage race of men； and in one or
two high mental qualities she is above the reach of any man；
savage or civilized！
Y。M。 Oh； come！ you are abolishing the intellectual frontier
which separates man and beast。
O。M。 I beg your pardon。 One cannot abolish what does not exist。
Y。M。 You are not in earnest； I hope。 You cannot mean to
seriously say there is no such frontier。
O。M。 I do say it seriously。 The instances of the horse； the
gull； the mother bird； and the elephant show that those creatures
put their this's and thats together just as Edison would have
done it and drew the same inferences that he would have drawn。
Their mental machinery was just like his； also its manner of
working。 Their equipment was as inferior to the Strasburg clock；
but that is the only differencethere is no frontier。
Y。M。 It looks exasperatingly true； and is distinctly
offensive。 It elevates the dumb beasts toto
O。M。 Let us drop that lying phrase； and call them the
Unrevealed Creatures； so far as we can know； there is no such
thing as a dumb beast。
Y。M。 On what grounds do you make that assertion？
O。M。 On quite simple ones。 〃Dumb〃 beast suggests an animal
that has no thought…machinery； no understanding； no speech； no
way of communicating what is in its mind。 We know that a hen HAS
speech。 We cannot understand everything she says； but we easily
learn two or three of her phrases。 We know when she is saying；
〃I have laid an egg〃； we know when she is saying to the chicks；
〃Run here； dears； I've found a worm〃； we know what she is saying
when she voices a warning： 〃Quick！ hurry！ gather yourselves
under mamma； there's a hawk coming！〃 We understand the cat when
she stretches herself out； purring w