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Full Idea
A dog's curiosity about the movements of his master or a strange object only extends as far as the point of what is going to happen next.
Gist of Idea
Dogs' curiosity only concerns what will happen next
Source
William James (The Sentiment of Rationality [1882], p.31)
Book Ref
James,William: 'Selected Writings of William James', ed/tr. Bird,Graham [Everyman 1995], p.31
A Reaction
Good. A nice corrective to people like myself who are tempted to inflate animal rationality, in order to emphasise human evolutionary continuity with them. It is hard to disagree with his observation. But dogs do make judgements! True/false!