3818. The difference between wild animals and humans
Whatever wild animals do is earthly, for the reason that their ends are grounded in nature. It appears as if wild animals also draw upon what is spiritual and heavenly, such as in regard to marriage love, like that of the doves and other birds, that mate in pairs, and in regard to the love of their chicks, or their whelps; then in regard to their love toward their companions, with whom they live harmoniously, and mate, like many animals, birds especially, but also snakes, and insects such as bees. Thus they display friendship toward each other, besides other qualities in their societies and governments that appear at first sight like spiritual and heavenly ones, but are not, because they look only to mundane and earthly ends. From the ends in view it can be seen whether a quality is spiritual and heavenly. It is one thing to be acted upon by a spiritual and heavenly end, and it is quite another to receive and look to such ends. Unless the receiver is active, it does not contain the property of activity. Wild animals do not, either,
3818. WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN BEASTS AND MAN.
Whatever beasts do is natural, because their ends terminate in natural things. It appears, indeed, as if beasts derived it from a spiritual and celestial [source] that, from the prompting of conjugial love, as [for instance in the case] of doves and other birds which go in pairs, they should thus associate themselves in pairs; so also in regard to their young, whether chicks or whelps; then again as to their love towards their mates, with which they live in harmony, and are conjoined, as is the case with many animals, and especially birds, as also serpents, and insects, for instance bees; thus they exhibit friendship towards each other, besides other things [by which they are distinguished] in their societies and economies, all which appear at first blush as if they were spiritual and celestial, but [still] they are not so, because they regard only worldly and terrestrial ends. From ends [alone] can it appear whether anything is spiritual and celestial. It is one thing to be prompted by an end spiritual and celestial, and another to receive such ends, and regard them; [for] unless the recipient be as the agent, then there is not given in the recipient any such thing as that which pertains to the agent.
3818. Quod discrimen inter bestias et hominem
Quicquid agunt bestiae, hoc naturale est, ex causa quia fines eorum terminantur in natura; apparet quasi bestiae quoque trahant a spirituali et coelesti, ut quoad amorem conjugialem, ut columbarum aliarumque ubi paria et paria se consociant, tum quoad amorem erga pullos, et catulos; tum quoad amores eorum erga socios, cum quibus unanimiter vivunt, et consociantur, sicut animalia plura, imprimis aves, tum quoque serpentes, insecta, ut apes; ita mutuo sibi amicitias praestant, praeter alia in eorum societatibus, et regiminibus, quae primo intuitu apparent sicut spiritualia et coelestia, sed non talia sunt, quia fines modo mundanos et terrestres spectant, ex finibus constare potest, num spirituale et coeleste, aliud est agi a fine spirituali et coelesti, et aliud est recipere illos, et spectare fines, nisi recipiens sit ut agens, tunc in recipiente non datur tale, quale est agentis; bestiae quoque non