--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because we are intelligent…" description: "\"Because we are intelligent creatures-meaning that we are freed from instinctive and patterned behavior to a degree unparalleled in the animal kingdom-w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/967/willard-gaylin-26360_animal_because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-mea_1727261.png" --- # Because we are intelligent creatures-meaning that we are… ![“Because we are intelligent creatures-meaning that we are freed from instinctive and patterned behavior to a degree unparalleled in the animal kingdom-we are capable of, and dependent on, using rational choice to decide our futures.” quote by Willard Gaylin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/967/willard-gaylin-26360_animal_because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-mea_1727261.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/967/willard-gaylin-26360_animal_because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-mea_1727261.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/967/willard-gaylin-26360_animal_because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-mea_1727261.png) > “Because we are intelligent creatures-meaning that we are freed from instinctive and patterned behavior to a degree unparalleled in the animal kingdom-we are capable of, and dependent on, using rational choice to decide our futures.” [Willard Gaylin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-gaylin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans can transcend instinct through rational choice, shaping unique futures. **In simple terms:** Reason lets us choose our path beyond instinct. Key Takeaway Use rational decision‑making to guide life. Themes philosophy human nature freedom Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - policy making - education - technology ethics Key Concepts Rationalism autonomy future‑orientation Questions to Reflect On - What choices are truly rational? - How do we balance instinct and reason? A Different Perspective Rational choice can be limited by cognitive biases and social pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animal kingdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-kingdom/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Kingdoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingdoms/) [Our future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-future/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [It is rational to choose the right means to your ends to develop very elegant abstract formal theories of rational choice, and then turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means-to-your-ends-to-develop-very/) [Allen W. 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They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-gaylin/feelings-are-the-fine-instruments-which-shape-decision-making-in-an/) [Willard Gaylin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-gaylin/) > [We must live in groups; other people are like nutrients for us, and are absolutely essential for our survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-gaylin/we-must-live-in-groups-other-people-are-like-nutrients-for-us-and-are/) [Willard Gaylin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-gaylin/) > [We are what we seem to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-gaylin/we-are-what-we-seem-to-be/) [Willard Gaylin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-gaylin/) > [Our imagination and reasoning powers facilitate anxiety; the anxious feeling is precipitated not by an absolute impending threat-such as the worry about an examination,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-gaylin/our-imagination-and-reasoning-powers-facilitate-anxiety-the-anxious/) [Willard Gaylin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-gaylin/) > [To probe for unconscious determinants of behavior and then define a man in their terms exclusively, ignoring his overt behavior altogether, is a greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-gaylin/to-probe-for-unconscious-determinants-of-behavior-and-then-define-a/) [Willard Gaylin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-gaylin/) > [Feeling good and feeling bad are not necessarily opposites. 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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": "Because we are intelligent creatures-meaning that we are freed from instinctive and patterned behavior to a degree unparalleled in the animal kingdom-we are capable of, and dependent on, using rational choice to decide our futures.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Willard Gaylin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-gaylin/because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-meaning-that-we-are-freed-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-gaylin/because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-meaning-that-we-are-freed-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/967/willard-gaylin-26360_animal_because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-mea_1727261.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/967/willard-gaylin-26360_animal_because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-mea_1727261.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/967/willard-gaylin-26360_animal_because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-mea_1727261.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Because we are intelligent creatures-meaning that we are freed from instinctive and patterned behavior to a…” — Willard Gaylin", "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": "Willard Gaylin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-gaylin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Because we are intelligent creatures-meaning that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-gaylin/because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-meaning-that-we-are-freed-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-gaylin/because-we-are-intelligent-creatures-meaning-that-we-are-freed-from/#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 } } ] } ```