Instinct In Jack London's To Build A Fire

In “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, there are many illustrations where the actions of the dog show that instinct is superior to human knowledge. In the text, London states, “The animal was depressed by the tremendous cold. It knew that it was no time for travelling. Its instinct told it a truer story than [what was made] by the man’s judgement.” The man realizes how cold it is through temperature readings, nevertheless he persists in ignoring the harsh conditions. The dog shows to be considerably wiser, aware that the cold is too dangerous for them even though it doesn’t have a “sharp consciousness… of the cold”, rather, the "brute [listens to] its instinct". Later on in the story, after the dog gets its’ forefeet wet, it "merely obey[s] the