Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-24
MINDS OF ANIMALS.
FOURTH LECTURE IN The BIOLOGICAL
SERIES.
College Last Eight-Per-
sonal.

Professor II. Newell Martin, OF Baltimore,
In Thomas Hall of Richmond College last
night delivered his fourth aud last lecture
in the series ON Biology. His subject was
the "Minds OF Animals" aud be treated
1t in manner at once scientific and popu-
lar. Though setting up no claim as pub
lie speaker, he has the gift OF making ab.
struse topics plain, and was particularly
effective In this lecture.
DR.. Martin began by saving that possibly 20
many Of his hearers the subject on which no bad
the honor 10 address them might seem equiys-
lent ~ lecture on tho snakes OF Ireland: Tho
Minds OF Animals." "There arc no Minds in
Animals ~ II not to-day, yet but a few years
ago this was the general belief Even now dis
play Of skill by one OF the lower animals Is
usually spoken OF as a remarkable "tnsunct"
wnile most actions performed by men are re-
garded directed by reason, an opinion in some
cases rather extraordinary.
TWO QUESTIONS.
We have % meet two questious-Tirst Have
animals minds second. IL they have, can we
discover them? Taking up this latter query tho
lecturer pointed out that all knowledge, except
that OF our own state OF consciousness, was ses
cohdary, and based on opinion or judgment, not
on direct cognition; and that. therefore, our
usual belief that our fellow men and women
have minds essentially ltko our own was not i'm
mediate knowledge, but judgment arrived at
through an anslogical argument lie then
pointed out that even in our own bodies many
apparently purposeful actions were no evidence
Of intelligence. and described renex and instinc-
tive actions In man.
II thus became obvious that the mere useful
ness Of an action 70 the organizer performing
II was no proc, OF the presence OF reason.
TEACHABIIITY.
We thus como back to the question. Is there
any test which We eau apply 70 tho useful and
purpose-llke action Of aLimals Thich will ena-
bic US 10 decide that they are directed by intel
ltgencef We get euch evidence IN wo find an
animal learning 70 make new purpose-like aud
useful moYements. or 70 modify old ones in con-
seQuence Of Its own personal experiences.
Teachabihty by experience 10 no gauge OF in-
telligence in the lower animals al in man.
SOME EXAMPLES.
Having illustrated the self-teachlng of animals
through their experiences by two or three ex-
amples, Professor Martin stated briefly that
somo Of the more Fundamental facts in human
psychology as a basis for inquiring how much
reason We could possibly expect 70 Ind In aRi-
mails lie said: "If stroi up Franklin street
on pleasant Easter sunday after church shall
receive through my eyes and cars vast numter
OF sensations. Some would probably 1oat past un-
Needed. others would impress themselves on my
conscientiousness, and thus become what are
known a. perceptions. ] should PROBABLY not no.
tce At ali or but very httle the rumbling OF car
risges or the cbirping OF spaUOws, but should
very distinctly perc4eve a great many pretty
ihIth nv the Gnu VI my Udlk itl AtIhiA aolur
ono fsco-thAt Is, get n mental reproduction OF
some one previous visual sensation. Sucn mem
tai reproduction IL an tded In this caso simple
idea. But | might proceed 70 think over and
compare all the faces | remembered. On 80
doing should ind that thorgh each differed In
some way from every other, yet all had worry
many points OF agreement and thus / could
mentally abstract the idea OF a face in general
as distinguished from any individual face, and
thus form an dbstrGct or compound tdsd"
ABOUT ABSTRACT IDEAS.
Abstract ideas differ greatly in complexity,
and the more complex are only possible through
the use Of language. il would therefore DO ao-
surd 70 expect 10 find In the lower animals such
complicated menlal concepts "a righteousness,
virtue, or reverence. OF patriotism. child has
al hrst no such conceptions. and only forms them
when sufficiently sailed In the uso OF language
to carry on a train OF thought BY the aid OF SYM
bols.
But there Is no reason why animals should not
form such simple abstract ideas "a do not re-
By the idea Of food asdistinct from The notion or
/ any one kind Of food, and by the idea OF cause
and effect in nature as exhibited by dogs and
horses.
APTITUDE OF ANIMALS.
Promising his further remarks by tho state
ment that he was now getting on the dangerous
! territory Of anecdotes concerning animals, hnd
/ must trust his audience 10 believe that he would
/ only tell them what he had good reason 70 pc
\ lieve true and authentic. DR.. Martin proceeded
20 give instances Of fortudo In elephar t., dogs,
/ and apes. As to the use Of tools by elephants
4 and monkeys be gave several examples, and en-
J tered into some detail concerning MONKEY Sc,
I Iectet Tor his Intelligence from the geological
/ Gardens in London by Mr. Romanes, secretary
/ OF tho Lnnean Society, and carefully studied
for six weeks by his sister,
PERSONAL DIGNITY.
DIR. Martin then gave some account OF the emo
| tions OF animals, especially elephants and dogs.
| and described a curious exhibition OF Jealousy
| by n tame rat once possossed By himself lie
| also gave histories showing that in some OF the
| most Intelligent and bost caroa-for dogs there
was some sense OF personal dignity, and even
the emotion OF remorse and the rudlment ot con-
science.
CONSIDER.
| DR.. Martin closed his able and learned address
! by sayiug: Is there any one present who has
| some sort of uneasy feeling that such an IN
quiry into the beginnings OF minis as l M MhsYo
outlined tonight, or that In general the methods
] OF studying nature which have suggested IN
] this or the previous lectures are irreliglous7 ii
/ such there be l would ask HIM TO consider
whether his standpoint is that OF Christianity or
! Of Pagan Greece or Noslem Turkey3 The Greek
satisfied himself at rains because Jesus Wills
! Il. The Turk does the same. Allah has said
| it; II is kismet" II all attempts 10 connecs and
! correlate facts and prove some Idea or amutuai
! dependence and sequence n natural phenome-
| non are 10 be repudiated, then that spirit oil a
man which Is in him and drives him to ask
| hes and uhy instead OF being reverenced as
God given, Is 70 be fought as deVilish Instinct
PROCESS 0P FORMATION.
! The careful attention given during the last
! twenty years 10 the minds Of children and the
minds Of the lower animals-that Is 10 say, tc
| mind In the process OF formation-has been so
| fruitful that It Is reasonable to suppose that
within tho next generation it will throw more
/ light on the human mind than all the sDecul2-
| tions during al preceding ages Oh the lntro-
! spectiye school OF philosophers
The Professor has made many friends
during his stay here. lie will probably