"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"

This quote by Edward Thorndike is referring to the behavior of animals. He is recommending that pets do not think in the same way that human beings do. They do not use thinking or logic ahead to conclusions. They do not think about the repercussions of their activities or the things they communicate with. Rather, their behavior is instinctive and based on their atmosphere. They do not assume of the box, the food, or the act they are to perform. They simply act on reaction. This quote highlights the distinction between the actions of animals and humans, and also just how pets do not think in the same way that humans do.