第 26 节
作者:无组织      更新:2022-04-21 11:08      字数:9322
  her away; and as such she accepts it。  Granted that the symbols in
  use among the lower animals are fewer and less highly differentiated
  than in the case of any known human language; and therefore that
  animal language is incomparably less subtle and less capable of
  expressing delicate shades of meaning than our own; these
  differences are nevertheless only those that exist between highly
  developed and inchoate language; they do not involve those that
  distinguish language from no language。  They are the differences
  between the undifferentiated protoplasm of the amoeba and our own
  complex organisation; they are not the differences between life and
  no life。  In animal language as much as in human there is a mind
  intentionally making use of a symbol accepted by another mind as
  invariably attached to a certain idea; in order to produce that idea
  in the mind which it is desired to affectmore briefly; there is a
  sayer; a sayee; and a covenanted symbol designedly applied。  Our own
  speech is vertebrated and articulated by means of nouns; verbs; and
  the rules of grammar。  A dog's speech is invertebrate; but I do not
  see how it is possible to deny that it possesses all the essential
  elements of language。
  I have said nothing about Professor R。 L。 Garner's researches into
  the language of apes; because they have not yet been so far verified
  and accepted as to make it safe to rely upon them; but when he lays
  it down that all voluntary sounds are the products of thought; and
  that; if they convey a meaning to another; they perform the
  functions of human speech; he says what I believe will commend
  itself to any unsophisticated mind。  I could have wished; however;
  that he had not limited himself to sounds; and should have preferred
  his saying what I doubt not he would readily acceptI mean; that
  all symbols or tokens of whatever kind; if voluntarily adopted as
  such; are the products of thought; and perform the functions of
  human speech; but I cannot too often remind you that nothing can be
  considered as fulfilling the conditions of language; except a
  voluntary application of a recognised token in order to convey a
  more or less definite meaning; with the intention doubtless of thus
  purchasing as it were some other desired meaning and consequent
  sensation。  It is astonishing how closely in this respect money and
  words resemble one another。  Money indeed may be considered as the
  most universal and expressive of all languages。  For gold and silver
  coins are no more money when not in the actual process of being
  voluntarily used in purchase; than words not so in use are language。
  Pounds; shillings and pence are recognised covenanted tokens; the
  outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual purchasing
  power; but till in actual use they are only potential money; as the
  symbols of language; whatever they may be; are only potential
  language till they are passing between two minds。  It is the power
  and will to apply the symbols that alone gives life to money; and as
  long as these are in abeyance the money is in abeyance also; the
  coins may be safe in one's pocket; but they are as dead as a log
  till they begin to burn in it; and so are our words till they begin
  to burn within us。
  The real question; however; as to the substantial underlying
  identity between the language of the lower animals and our own;
  turns upon that other question whether or no; in spite of an
  immeasurable difference of degree; the thought and reason of man and
  of the lower animals is essentially the same。  No one will expect a
  dog to master and express the varied ideas that are incessantly
  arising in connection with human affairs。  He is a pauper as against
  a millionaire。  To ask him to do so would be like giving a street…
  boy sixpence and telling him to go and buy himself a founder's share
  in the New River Company。  He would not even know what was meant;
  and even if he did it would take several millions of sixpences to
  buy one。  It is astonishing what a clever workman will do with very
  modest tools; or again how far a thrifty housewife will make a very
  small sum of money go; or again in like manner how many ideas an
  intelligent brute can receive and convey with its very limited
  vocabulary; but no one will pretend that a dog's intelligence can
  ever reach the level of a man's。  What we do maintain is that;
  within its own limited range; it is of the same essential character
  as our own; and that though a dog's ideas in respect of human
  affairs are both vague and narrow; yet in respect of canine affairs
  they are precise enough and extensive enough to deserve no other
  name than thought or reason。  We hold moreover that they communicate
  their ideas in essentially the same manner as we dothat is to say;
  by the instrumentality of a code of symbols attached to certain
  states of mind and material objects; in the first instance
  arbitrarily; but so persistently; that the presentation of the
  symbol immediately carries with it the idea which it is intended to
  convey。  Animals can thus receive and impart ideas on all that most
  concerns them。  As my great namesake said some two hundred years
  ago; they know 〃what's what; and that's as high as metaphysic wit
  can fly。〃  And they not only know what's what themselves; but can
  impart to one another any new what's…whatness that they may have
  acquired; for they are notoriously able to instruct and correct one
  another。
  Against this Professor Max Muller contends that we can know nothing
  of what goes on in the mind of any lower animal; inasmuch as we are
  not lower animals ourselves。  〃We can imagine anything we like about
  what passes in the mind of an animal;〃 he writes; 〃we can know
  absolutely nothing。〃 {19}  It is something to have it in evidence
  that he conceives animals as having a mind at all; but it is not
  easy to see how they can be supposed to have a mind; without being
  able to acquire ideas; and having acquired; to read; mark; learn;
  and inwardly digest them。  Surely the mistake of requiring too much
  evidence is hardly less great than that of being contented with too
  little。  We; too; are animals; and can no more refuse to infer
  reason from certain visible actions in their case than we can in our
  own。  If Professor Max Muller's plea were allowed; we should have to
  deny our right to infer confidently what passes in the mind of any
  one not ourselves; inasmuch as we are not that person。  We never;
  indeed; can obtain irrefragable certainty about this or any other
  matter; but we can be sure enough in many cases to warrant our
  staking all that is most precious to us on the soundness of our
  opinion。  Moreover; if the Professor denies our right to infer that
  animals reason; on the ground that we are not animals enough
  ourselves to be able to form an opinion; with what right does he
  infer so confidently himself that they do not reason?  And how; if
  they present every one of those appearances which we are accustomed
  to connect with the communication of an idea from one mind to
  another; can we deny that they have a language of their own; though
  it is one which in most cases we can neither speak nor understand?
  How can we say that a sentinel rook; when it sees a man with a gun
  and warns the other rooks by a concerted note which they all show
  that they understand by immediately taking flight; should not be
  credited both with reason and the germs of language?
  After all; a professor; whether of philology; psychology; biology;
  or any other ology; is hardly the kind of person to whom we should
  appeal on such an elementary question as that of animal intelligence
  and language。  We might as well ask a botanist to tell us whether
  grass grows; or a meteorologist to tell us if it has left off
  raining。  If it is necessary to appeal to any one; I should prefer
  the opinion of an intelligent gamekeeper to that of any professor;
  however learned。  The keepers; again; at the Zoological Gardens;
  have exceptional opportunities for studying the minds of animals
  modified; indeed; by captivity; but still minds of animals。  Grooms;
  again; and dog…fanciers; are to the full as able to form an
  intelligent opinion on the reason and language of animals as any
  University Professor; and so are cats'…meat men。  I have repeatedly
  asked gamekeepers and keepers at the Zoological Gardens whether
  animals could reason and converse with one another; and have always
  found myself regarded somewhat contemptuously for having even asked
  the question。  I once said to a friend; in the hearing of a keeper
  at the Zoological Gardens; that the penguin was very stupid。  The
  man was furious; and jumped upon me at once。  〃He's not stupid at
  all;〃 said he; 〃he's very intelligent。〃
  Who has not seen a cat; when it wishes to go out; raise its fore
  paws on to the handle of the door; or as near as it can get; and
  look round; evidently asking some one to turn it for her?  Is it
  reasonable to deny that a reasoning process is going on in the cat's
  mind; whereby she connects her wish with the steps necessary for its
  fulfilment; and also with certain invariable symbols which she knows
  her master or mistress will interpret?  Once; in company with a
  friend; I watched a cat playing with a hou