[Dilemmas in ethology]

Taught by the history of biology, ethologists try to adhere as rigidly as possible to the method used in natural science. They therefore are hesitant in using concepts which are ultimately derived from the human world of inner experience. In order to examine this question, the present paper first deals with the strength and the weakness of the natural scientific method, which is followed by a discussion of the manner in which this makes itself felt in biology. Although the method used in natural science is fully applicable in biology, particular phenomena (such as pain) will not be considered because of the character of this method. However, this does not detract from the reality of these phenomena and in that sense does not make them any less objective. If ethology wishes to do justice to animals, it is not be able to avoid including phenomena such as consciousness, pain, etc., in its investigations, even though the problem of extrapolating human self-experience to animals will continue to exist.