3820. But the prerogative of humans beyond that of wild animals is that they can think about and gain insight in higher or inward matters, i.e. in spiritual and heavenly ones, which animals cannot, and thus have as an end the societies of the other life. If man's ends do not look to matters of spiritual and heavenly life, that is, spiritual and heavenly qualities, or spiritual and heavenly goodness and truth, then he cannot possess any other life than wild animals do. For one's purposes reveal what and of what quality one's life is. Thus spiritual and heavenly qualities are those proper to human life, whereby they may become recipients of those ends.
[2] So those who come into the other life wholely uninstructed about spiritual and heavenly things are like figures of wood, appearing almost devoid of life until they have been instructed or initiated in higher knowledge of faith. From this it is now clear what kind of a life they have who look to no other than physical, worldly and earthly ends, who, if the Lord did not have mercy upon them, endowing them with the faculty of understanding, they would be scattered like wild animals. 1748, 2 Nov.
3820. But it is the prerogative of man over the beasts to be able to think and to have respect to the things which are superior or interior, namely, spiritual and celestial things, which beasts cannot do, and thus have for an end the societies of the other life. If the ends of man did not regard the things which are of a spiritual and celestial life, that is, spiritual and celestial things, or spiritual and celestial good and truth, he would then be unable to have any other life than that which beasts have; for ends show what and of what quality the life is. Thus spiritual and celestial things are the appropriate things of human life, so that [men] may be recipient of them. Wherefore those who come into the other life wholly uninstructed concerning spiritual and celestial things, are like sticks of wood, and scarce anything of life appears in them, prior to their being instructed or initiated in the knowledges of faith. Hence now it appears what is the quality of the life of those who regard no other than corporeal, worldly, and terrestrial things. Wherefore unless the Lord should have compassion, and grant them the faculty of understanding, they would be dissipated like the brutes. - 1748, November 2.
3820. At hominis praerogativa prae bestiis est, quod possit cogitare et intueri illa quae superiora seu interiora sunt, nempe spiritualia et coelestia, quae bestiae nequeunt, et sic pro fine habere societates alterius vitae, si non fines hominis spectent ea quae sunt vitae spiritualis et coelestis, hoc est spiritualia et coelestia, seu bonum et verum spirituale et coeleste, tunc non habere potest aliam vitam quam eam quam bestiae, nam fines ostendunt, quae et qualis vita, et quod spiritualia et coelestia sint vitae humanae propria, sic ut sint illorum recipientia; quare qui in alteram vitam veniunt, nihil prorsus instructi de spiritualibus et coelestibus, sunt instar ligni, et in iis vix aliquid vitae apparet, antequam instructi sint in cognitionibus fidei, seu initiati; exinde nunc constat, qualis vita iis qui non aliud spectant quam corporea, mundana, et terrestria; quorum nisi Dominus misereretur, et daret iis facultatem intelligendi, sicut bruta dissiparentur. 1748, 2 Nov.