"When, instead of merely associating some act with some situation in the animal way, we think the situation out, we have a set of particular feelings of its elements"
- Edward Thorndike
About this Quote
In this quote, Edward Thorndike is discussing the distinction in between animal behavior and human habits. He recommends that animals just associate particular actions with certain situations, while human beings have the ability to analyze a situation and understand its aspects. This implies that people can experiencing a variety of feelings and sensations related to a circumstance, rather than just responding naturally like animals. By analyzing a situation, we have the ability to have a deeper understanding and connection to it, which can cause a more complex set of feelings and reactions. This highlights the unique cognitive capabilities of humans and how they shape our experiences and interactions with the world around us.
"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"
