M. That is what you are required to concede. There is no such
frontier--there is no way to get around that. Man has a finer and more
capable machine in him than those others, but it is the same machine and
works in the same way. And neither he nor those others can command the
machine--it is strictly automatic, independent of control, works when it
pleases, and when it doesn't please, it can't be forced.
Y.M. Then man and the other animals are all alike, as to mental
machinery, and there isn't any difference of any stupendous magnitude
between them, except in quality, not in kind.
O.M. That is about the state of it--intellectuality. There are
pronounced limitations on both sides. We can't learn to understand much
of their language, but the dog, the elephant, etc., learn to understand a
very great deal of ours. To that extent they are our superiors. On the
other hand, they can't learn reading, writing, etc., nor any of our fine
and high things, and there we have a large advantage over them.
Y.M. Very well, let them have what they've got, and welcome; there is
still a wall, and a lofty one. They haven't got the Moral Sense; we have
it, and it lifts us immeasurably above them.
O.M. What makes you think that?
Y.M. Now look here--let's call a halt. I have stood the other infamies
and insanities and that is enough; I am not going to have man and the
other animals put on the same level morally.
Pages:
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98