About Quote by Edward Thorndike
“There is no reasoning, no process of inference or comparison; there is no thinking about things, no putting two and two together; there are no ideas - the animal does not think of the box or of the food or of the act he is to perform.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Animal Intelligence, 1911
Animals act on instinct without abstract reasoning; they lack conceptual thought and cannot combine ideas like humans.
In simple terms: Animals think by instinct, not by logical reasoning.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of animal cognition in training.
Themes
cognition
instinct
learning
psychology
comparative mind
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
scientific
philosophical
When to use this quote
- training animals
- research on animal behavior
- education on cognition
Key Concepts
behaviorism
stimulus response
cognitive limits
Questions to Reflect On
- Can we ever fully understand animal consciousness?
- How does this view affect animal welfare?
A Different Perspective
Human reasoning is more complex, making direct comparisons challenging.
