--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It seems to me obvious that infants and…" description: "\"It seems to me obvious that infants and many animals that do not in any ordinary sense have a language or perform speech acts nonetheless have Intentio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/john-searle-17370_animal_it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and_2688139.jpg" --- # It seems to me obvious that infants and many animals that… ![“It seems to me obvious that infants and many animals that do not in any ordinary sense have a language or perform speech acts nonetheless have Intentional states. Only someone in the grip of a philosophical theory would deny that small babies can literally be said to want milk and that dogs want…” quote by John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/john-searle-17370_animal_it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and_2688139.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/john-searle-17370_animal_it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and_2688139.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/john-searle-17370_animal_it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and_2688139.jpg) > “It seems to me obvious that infants and many animals that do not in any ordinary sense have a language or perform speech acts nonetheless have Intentional states. Only someone in the grip of a philosophical theory would deny that small babies can literally be said to want milk and that dogs want to be let out or believe that their master is at the door.” [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Infants and many animals exhibit intentional states and language‑like behavior despite lacking formal language. **In simple terms:** Animals and infants show intentional communication. Key Takeaway Acknowledge non‑human and pre‑linguistic cognition. Themes philosophy mind language animal cognition development Mood reflective inquisitive Type theoretical ethical When to use this quote - Early childhood education - animal welfare - AI perception modeling - psychology research Key Concepts Intentionality theory of mind proto‑language Questions to Reflect On - How do we differentiate true intentionality from reflex? - What ethical implications arise from attributing language to animals? A Different Perspective Interpretations of intent can be anthropomorphic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [“I have thus defined the concept of the “Background” as the set of nonintentional or preintentional capacities that enable intentional states of function. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rogers-searle/i-have-thus-defined-the-concept-of-the-background-as-the-set-of/) [John Rogers Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rogers-searle/) > [“Intentional states function only given a set of Background capacities that do not themselves consist in intentional phenomena. Thus, for example, beliefs, desires, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rogers-searle/intentional-states-function-only-given-a-set-of-background-capacities/) [John Rogers Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rogers-searle/) > [“Adoption is the most intentional process on Earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-cantrell-dyer/adoption-is-the-most-intentional-process-on-earth/) [Jody Cantrell Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-cantrell-dyer/) > [Drinking cow milk has been linked to iron-deficiency anemia in infants and children; it has been named as the cause of cramps and diarrhea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-oski/drinking-cow-milk-has-been-linked-to-iron-deficiency-anemia-in/) [Frank Oski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-oski/) > [What women need to understand is that men don't communicate. It's not intentional or on purpose. We're just not as emotional. You ladies feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/what-women-need-to-understand-is-that-men-don-t-communicate-it-s-not/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [“The choices you make are intentional even if the outcome is not. If they are not intentional that means your life has no rhyme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-williams-strawder/the-choices-you-make-are-intentional-even-if-the-outcome-is-not-if/) Phyllis Williams-Strawder > [For me, losing weight wasn't an intentional effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubina-dilaik/for-me-losing-weight-wasn-t-an-intentional-effort/) [Rubina Dilaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubina-dilaik/) > [Every intentional act is a magical act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/every-intentional-act-is-a-magical-act/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [“If you don’t want to just live an ordinary life, then you will have to be intentional about converting all your time into that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/if-you-don-t-want-to-just-live-an-ordinary-life-then-you-will-have-to/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Career highlights? I had two - I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-uecker/career-highlights-i-had-two-i-got-an-intentional-walk-from-sandy/) [Bob Uecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-uecker/) > [“Right now I am making the choice to live out this day choosing to be intentional about not being unintentional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/right-now-i-am-making-the-choice-to-live-out-this-day-choosing-to-be/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Running’ is driven by panic. ‘Destination’ is driven by thought. And while it’s terribly painful to admit, incessantly pretending that I do the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/running-is-driven-by-panic-destination-is-driven-by-thought-and-while/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Intentional living is the art of making our own choices before others' choices make us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/intentional-living-is-the-art-of-making-our-own-choices-before-others/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [“Success is a choice; you choose it and work it out! Excellence is deliberate and so it is intentionally pursued. No successful person ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/success-is-a-choice-you-choose-it-and-work-it-out-excellence-is/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Each production has certain circumstances that will bring you to a certain way of making it. It is not intentional, it is not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/each-production-has-certain-circumstances-that-will-bring-you-to-a/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) ## More by John Searle > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [Where consciousness is concerned, the appearance is the reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/where-consciousness-is-concerned-the-appearance-is-the-reality/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [In many cases it is a matter for decision and not a simple matter of fact whether x understands y; and so on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/in-many-cases-it-is-a-matter-for-decision-and-not-a-simple-matter-of/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We often attribute 'understanding' and other cognitive predicates by metaphor and analogy to cars, adding machines, and other artifacts, but nothing is proved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/we-often-attribute-understanding-and-other-cognitive-predicates-by/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [I will argue that in the literal sense the programmed computer understands what the car and the adding machine understand, namely, exactly nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/i-will-argue-that-in-the-literal-sense-the-programmed-computer/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We do not live in several different, or even two different, worlds, a mental world and a physical world, a scientific world and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/we-do-not-live-in-several-different-or-even-two-different-worlds-a/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [Whatever is referred to must exist. Let us call this the axiom of existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/whatever-is-referred-to-must-exist-let-us-call-this-the-axiom-of/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [You can't \*discover\* that the brain is a digital computer. You can only \*interpret\* the brain as a digital computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/you-can-t-discover-that-the-brain-is-a-digital-computer-you-can-only/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [How do we get from electrons to elections and from protons to presidents?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/how-do-we-get-from-electrons-to-elections-and-from-protons-to/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [Where conscious subjectivity is concerned, there is no distinction between the observation and the thing observed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/where-conscious-subjectivity-is-concerned-there-is-no-distinction/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [ "Akrasia" \[weakness of will\] in rational beings is as common as wine in France. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/akrasia-weakness-of-will-in-rational-beings-is-as-common-as-wine-in/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [Nowadays nobody bothers, and it is considered in slightly bad taste to even raise the question of God's existence. Matters of religion are like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/nowadays-nobody-bothers-and-it-is-considered-in-slightly-bad-taste-to/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [The assertion fallacy is the fallacy of confusing the conditions for the performance of the speech act of assertion with the analysis of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-assertion-fallacy-is-the-fallacy-of-confusing-the-conditions-for/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [It seemed to a number of philosophers of language, myself included, that we should attempt to achieve a unification of Chomsky's syntax, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/it-seemed-to-a-number-of-philosophers-of-language-myself-included/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [An utterance can have Intentionality, just as a belief has Intentionality, but whereas the Intentionality of the belief is intrinsic the Intentionality of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/an-utterance-can-have-intentionality-just-as-a-belief-has/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) [Explore all 37 John Searle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It seems to me obvious that infants and many animals that do not in any ordinary sense have a language or perform speech acts nonetheless have Intentional states. Only someone in the grip of a philosophical theory would deny that small babies can literally be said to want milk and that dogs want to be let out or believe that their master is at the door.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Searle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and-many-animals-that-do-not-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and-many-animals-that-do-not-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/john-searle-17370_animal_it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and_2688139.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/john-searle-17370_animal_it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and_2688139.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/john-searle-17370_animal_it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and_2688139.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It seems to me obvious that infants and many animals that do not in any ordinary sense have a language or…” — John Searle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Searle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It seems to me obvious that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and-many-animals-that-do-not-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/it-seems-to-me-obvious-that-infants-and-many-animals-that-do-not-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```