86 Chapter III. 



stinctivc dispositions, by no means destroys the instinct- 

 ive nature of the respective psychic processes, nor does 

 this fact render them "intelligent." 



What then is instinct, this mysterious principle of 

 instinctive actions ? In its inmost nature, instinct is the 

 hereditary, suitable (adaptive) disposition tof the powers 

 of sensitive cognition and appetite in the animal. For 

 it is from this disposition that the sensitive affections 

 (passions), as well as the various exterior activities 

 elicited by the acts of the sensitive appetite, derive 

 their origin ; this disposition likewise governs their per- 

 formance in conformity with their respective laws. It 

 includes not only the specifically peculiar suitableness 

 (adaptiveness) which appears in the activity of artificial 

 instincts, but also the suitableness of the whole range 

 of manifestations of sense life which are more or less 

 common to all animals. This suitable disposition of 

 sensile cognition and appetite explains, on the one hand, 

 the keenness of instinctive perception which is often so 

 marvellous and apparently surpasses human intelligence. 

 For this reason it was styled in scholastic philosophy 

 "vis aestimativa," and "participatio quaedam rationis," 

 while more recent philosophers called it an "analogum 

 rationis" (Wolff), a "power of divination," "clairvoy- 

 ance," "immediate knowledge." On the other hand it 

 explains the not less striking blindness and narrowness 

 cf this very same instinctive cognition which places it 

 in palpable contrast to intelligence, and clearly manifests 

 that the profound wisdom and premeditation displayed 

 in instinctive activity cannot possibly arise from any 

 reflection and deliberation on the part of the animal. 

 The hereditary adaptive disposition of sensile cognition 



