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

86
ALLAN KARDEC
Intelligence and Instinct
71. Is intelligence an attribute of the vital principle?
"No; for the plants live and do not think; they have only organic life. Intelligence and matter
are independent of one another; for a body may live without intelligence; but intelligence can
only manifest itself by means of material organs. Animalised matter can only be rendered
intelligent by its union with spirit."
Intelligence is a faculty which is proper to certain classes of organic beings, and which gives to these the
power to think, the will to act. the consciousness of their existence and individuality, and the means of
establishing relations with the external world and providing for the needs of their special mode of
existence.
We may therefore distinguish: 1st, Inanimate beings, formed of matter alone, without life or intelligencethe
bodies of the mineral world; 2d, Animated non-thinking beings, formed of matter and endowed with
vitality, but without intelligence; 3d, Animated and thinking beings, formed of matter, endowed with
vitality, and possessed of an intelligent principle which gives them the faculty of thought.
72. What is the source of intelligence?
"We have already told you: the universal intelligence."
- Would it be correct to say that every intelligent being draws a portion of intelligence from
the universal source, and assimilates it as it draws and assimilates the principle of material
life?
"Such a comparison would be far from exact, for intelligence is a faculty that is proper to
each being, and constitutes its moral individuality. Besides, we have told you that there are
things which man is unable to fathom; and this, for the present, is one of them."
73. Is instinct independent of intelligence?
"No, not precisely so, for it is a species of intelligence. Instinct is an unreasoning intelligence,
by means of which the lower orders of beings provide for their wants."
74. Is it possible to establish a line of demarcation between instinct and intelligence; that is,
to say, to define precisely where the one ends and the other begins?
"No, for they often blend into one another. But the actions which belong to instinct and those
which belong to intelligence are easily distinguished."
75. Is it correct to say that the instinctive faculties diminish in proportion with the growth of
the intellectual faculties?
"No; instinct always continues to exist, but man neglects it. Instinct, as well as reason, may
lead us in the right direction.