DO ANIMALS REASON
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] [To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] Sita.--The letter's which appear from time to time in your columns headed "Do Animals Reason P " . sometimes make The think that Kant has written in vain for English readers. It is simply a question of interpretation. We see that animals perform certain acts which we can interpret according to the syllogistic forma of our own human minds. But whether the animal has itself gone through this syllogistic process—i.c., Whether it has consciously reasoned—is a question which must remain unanswered until we can enter into its consciousness and observe the working of the animal mind from within. Have you ever read the delightful story of Wagner's parrot, told by Glasenapp P When things had settled down a little after the Revolution of 1849, a friend called at his house to learn how he bad fared, but found it deserted. The Meister was at that moment on his way into exile with a police-warrant out for his arrest. But the parrot was there, and continued
its call: " Richard—Freiheit P " Are birds capable of irony P.,.
Previous page
