Laws and Hypotheses for Behavior 245 



so long as all that is demanded is a rough and general means 

 of prophecy. We can, as a rule, get an animal to learn a 

 given accomplishment by getting him to accomplish it, 

 rewarding him when he does, and punishing him when he 

 does not ; or, if reward or punishment are kept indifferent, 

 by getting him to accomplish it much oftener than he does 

 any other response to the situation in question. 



For more detailed and perfect prophecy, the phrases 

 ' result in satisfaction ' and ' result in discomfort ' need fur- 

 ther definition, and the other things that are to be equal need 

 comment. 



By a satisfying state of affairs is meant one which the 

 animal does nothing to avoid, often doing such things as 

 attain and preserve it. By a discomforting or annoying 

 state of affairs is meant one which the animal commonly 

 avoids and abandons. 



The satisfiers for any animal in any given condition can- 

 not be determined with precision and surety save by obser- 

 vation. Food when hungry, society when lonesome, sleep 

 when fatigued, relief from pain, are samples of the common 

 occurrence that what favors the life of the species satisfies 

 its individual members. But this does not furnish a com- 

 pletely valid rule. 



The satisfying and annoying are not synonymous with 

 favorable and unfavorable to the life of either the individual 

 or the species. Many animals are satisfied by deleterious 

 conditions. Excitement, overeating, and alcoholic intoxi- 

 cation are, for instance, three very common and very potent 

 satisfiers of man. Conditions useful to the life of the species 

 in moderation are often satisfying far beyond their useful 

 point: many conditions of great utility to the life of the 

 species do not satisfy and may even annoy its members. 



The annoyers for any animal follow the rough rule that 



