Allan Kardec-THE Spirit's Book_ The Principles of Spiritist Doctrine (1989)

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ALLAN KARDEC
ideas, while that of man is perfectible. and lends itself to all the conceptions of his
intelligence."
It is evident that fishes, emigrating in masses, like the swallows that follow the guide that leads them, must
have the means of giving one another information, of arriving at a common understanding, and of concarting
measures of general interest. It may be that they are gifted with a sense of vision sufficiently acute
to allow of their distinguishing signs made by them to one another, or the water may serve them as a
vehicle for the transmission of certain vibrations. It is evident that they must have some means. whatever
these may be. of comprehending one another, like all other animals that have no voice. and that
nevertheless perform actions in common. Should it, then. be deemed strange that spirits are able to
communicate among themselves without having recourse to articulate speech? (282.)
595. Have animals free-will in regard to their actions?
"They are not the mere machines you suppose them to be; but their freedom of action is
limited to their wants, and cannot be compared to that of man. Being far inferior to him, they
have not the same duties. Their freedom is restricted to the acts of their material life."
596. Whence comes the aptitude of certain animals to mutate human speech, and why is this
aptitude found among birds, rather, for instance, than among apes, whose conformation has
so more analogy to that of man?
"That aptitude results from a particular conformation of the vocal organs, seconded by the
instinct of imitation. The ape imitates man's gestures; some birds imitate his voice."
597. Since the animals have an intelligence which gives them a certain degree of freedom of
action, is there, in them, a principle independent of matter?
"Yes; and that survives their body."
- Is this principle a soul, like that of man?
"It is a soul, if you like to call it so; that depends on the meaning you attach to this word. But
it is inferior to that of man. There is, between the soul of the animals and that of man, as great
a difference as there is between the soul of man and God."
598. Does the soul of the animals preserve, after death, its individuality and its selfconsciousness?
"It preserves its individuality, but not the consciousness of its me. The life of intelligence
remains latent in them."
599. Has the soul of the beasts the choice of incarnating itself in one kind of animal rather
than in another?
"No; it does not possess free-will."