"Man, in his animal capacity, is qualified to subsist in every climate"
- Adam Ferguson
About this Quote
In this quote, Adam Ferguson is highlighting the adaptability and resilience of people. He refers to humans as "male" and acknowledges their animal nature, recommending that humans have the exact same survival impulses as other animals. However, he also emphasizes that people have a distinct ability to flourish in any environment, unlike other animals who are restricted by their physical abilities. This declaration speaks to the versatility and resourcefulness of humans, who have been able to adjust and thrive in various climates and surfaces throughout history. It also suggests that people have the possible to overcome challenges and obstacles, making them a dominant species in the world.
"Often and often afterwards, the beloved Aunt would ask me why I had never told anyone how I was being treated. Children tell little more than animals, for what comes to them they accept as eternally established"
"Certainly it is wrong to be cruel to animals and the destruction of a whole species can be a great evil. The capacity for feelings of pleasure and pain and for the form of life of which animals are capable clearly impose duties of compassion and humanity in their case"
