Instinct is untaught ability

Instinct is untaught ability

A few strong instincts and a few plain rules.

A few strong instincts and a few plain rules.

How instinct varies in the grov'lling swine,
Compar'd, half-reasoning elephant, with thine!
'Twixt that and reason what read more

How instinct varies in the grov'lling swine,
Compar'd, half-reasoning elephant, with thine!
'Twixt that and reason what a nice barrier!
Forever sep'rate, yet forever near!

Good instincts usually tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out.

Good instincts usually tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out.

Instinct and reason how can we divide?
'Tis the fool's ignorance, and the pedant's pride.

Instinct and reason how can we divide?
'Tis the fool's ignorance, and the pedant's pride.

'Tis thus we heed no instincts but our own,
Believe no evil, till the evil's done.
[Fr., read more

'Tis thus we heed no instincts but our own,
Believe no evil, till the evil's done.
[Fr., Nous n'ecoutons d'instincts que ceux qui sont les notres.
Et ne croyons le mal que quand il est venu.]

I believe in instinct, not in reason. When reason is right, nine times out of ten it is impotent, and read more

I believe in instinct, not in reason. When reason is right, nine times out of ten it is impotent, and when it prevails, nine times out of ten it is wrong.

Metaphysics is the finding of bad reasons for what we believe upon instinct; but to find these reasons is no read more

Metaphysics is the finding of bad reasons for what we believe upon instinct; but to find these reasons is no less an instinct.

Simplicity is an acquired taste. Mankind, left free, instinctively complicates life.

Simplicity is an acquired taste. Mankind, left free, instinctively complicates life.