216 ANIMAL AUTOMATISM. [LECT. 



are discoverable), and then it will easily be seen, that all the actions 

 of beasts are similar only to those which we perform without the 

 help of our minds. For which reason we shall be forced to 

 conclude, that we know of the existence in them of no other 

 principle of motion than the disposition of their organs and the 

 continual affluence of animal spirits produced by the heat of the 

 heart, which attenuates and subtilises the blood ; and, at the 

 same time, we shall acknowledge that we have had no reason for 

 assuming any other principle, except that, not having distinguished 

 these two principles of motion, and seeing that the one, which 

 depends only on the animal spirits and the organs, exists in beasts 

 as well as in us, we have hastily concluded that the other, which 

 depends on mind and on thought, was also possessed by them." 



Descartes' line of argument is perfectly clear. He 

 starts from reflex action in man, from the unquestion- 

 able fact that, in ourselves, co-ordinate, purposive, 

 actions may take place, without the intervention of 

 consciousness or volition, or even contrary to the 

 latter. As actions of a certain degree of complexity 

 are brought about by mere mechanism, why may not 

 actions of still greater complexity be the result of a 

 more refined mechanism ? What proof is there that 

 brutes are other than a superior race of marionettes, 

 which eat without pleasure, cry without pain, desire 

 nothing, know nothing, and only simulate intelligence 

 as a bee simulates a mathematician I 1 



The Port Koyalists adopted the hypothesis that 

 brutes are machines, and are said to have carried its 



1 Malebranche states the view taken by orthodox Cartesians in 

 1689 very forcibly : "Ainsi dans les chiens, les chats, et les autres 

 animaux, il n'y a ny intelligence, ny ame spirituelle comme on 1'entend 

 ordinairement. Us mangent sans plaisir ; ils orient sans douleur ; ils 

 croissent sans le savoir ; ils ne desirent rien ; ils ne connoissent rien ; 

 et s'ils agissent avec adresse et d'une maniere qui marque Intelligence, 



