255. (5) The nature of the difference between the life of the natural person and the life of an animal. We will speak in particular of this difference in subsequent discussions where we take up the subject of life. Here we will say only that the difference consists in this, that a person possesses three degrees mentally, or three degrees of intellect and will; that these degrees can be progressively opened; and that because these degrees are transparent, the person can in respect to his intellect be elevated into the light of heaven and see truths, not only civil and moral truths, but also spiritual truths, and from seeing a number of these deduce still further truths in turn, and so perfect his intellect to eternity. Animals, on the other hand, do not have the two higher degrees, but only natural degrees, and without the higher degrees these natural degrees lack the capacity for thinking about any civil, moral or spiritual concern. Moreover, because animals' natural degrees cannot be opened and so elevated into a higher light, they cannot think in accord with sequential order but only in accord with concurrent order, which is not to think but simply to act from a knowledge corresponding to their love. So, too, because they cannot think analytically and view a lower thought from the perspective of some higher one, therefore they cannot speak, but make sounds in accordance with the knowledge connected with their love. Despite this distinction, however, the sensual person, who is in the lowest degree natural, differs from the animal only in his ability to fill his memory with facts and to think and speak in accordance with them, an ability he derives from the faculty inherent in every person, which is to be able to understand truth if he wills to. This is the faculty that distinguishes the human being. But still, many by abuse of this faculty have made themselves lower than animals.