to see behond the horizon you have to imagine, you have to think about what you cannot see, you have to think about the world !

This is a GUESS, Carol... a GUESS! :)

The point is the passage is contrasting an intellectual/rational way of relating to the world with a sensory/intuitive one... so it's stressing the concept of 'thinking' (hence the word "penser") as contrasting with 'feeling'. I feel if the passage was read out "penser" would have a little extra stress, "monde" would not as it applies to both sides of the contrast.

"He was beginning to perceive that he was not only an educated and intelligent animal but that beyond his capacity to THINK his way through the world, there existed in him a calm, reassuring presence that connected him to everything existing around him."

BTW doing my own Googling, I think a lot of the uses of this phrase correspond to "think about the world", maybe even "picture the world".

A turn of phrase of phrse often used in philosophical dissertations (penser la mort, penser son corps... etc)
Here's a definition precisely from an online aid for philosophy homework!
PENSER: Exercer une activité proprement intellectuelle ou rationnelle; juger; exercer son esprit sur la matière de la connaissance; unir des représentations dans une conscience.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 32 mins (2008-06-11 21:36:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I wouldn't actually go for Bourth's turn of phrase, but I thinke he's right when he says it's about awareness, of what we are, who we are, where we are etc...

My try

Hello,I think they're talking about this animal's ability to contemplate the world.penser le monde = contemplate the world to be able to thoughtfully consider, dwell opon, observe...I hope this helps.

Another possibility to add to your pile of suggestions...and ponder

From the passage, the ability to "penser le monde" seems on the one hand
- to correspond to his status as an "educated and intelligent animal", and on the other
- to be contrasted with the existence inside him of a "calm and reassuring presence that connected him to everything existing around him"

As per both Matthews, I read this as a contrast between a stance that grasps the world through concepts, (the elements of thought, education, intelligence) - a contemplative distance, as Matthew suggests - and a sense of being within and part of the world, a more intuitive grasp than connecting through concepts.

It's true that "penser le XXX" is a common phrase - I think it usually can be rendered with 'conceiving' or 'thinking about'.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2008-06-12 06:43:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Saw Matthew Mc's "thinking about" afterwards...

I prefer "to apprehend the world", but depending on the rest of your text "to conceptualise" might be a valid alternative.

Animals supposedly cater for solely their own requirements (and those of their offspring (if you haven't seen the buffalos vs lions video, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM)). One of the things that makes humans different is that we think about god (or not). And afterlife. And what's at the bottom of the ocean or beyond our universe. Or how high or fast a seagull can fly ... er, umm, I guess that's not humans but Jonathan Livingstone ... About the starving gazillions in Burma, Somalia, Burundi, etc. about the thousands slowly dying under tons of earthquake rubble, about what we'll be doing Sunday week, etc.

It's not thinking that makes us different. Animals think too. But they "ne pensent pas le monde".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2008-06-11 21:23:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

BTW, that video really makes one think about the thought processes of animals (the buffalos in this case, who run off, have a think, and come back to make a stand in defence of their calf). It really is eye-opening.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 hrs (2008-06-12 09:41:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If the contrast with "animal" need not be so strong, and to put greater emphasis on intellectual pursuits: " ... above and beyond his ability to think/reason metaphysically ..."

/

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 hrs (2008-06-12 18:15:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or a variance " grip at the world"

an option

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 days (2008-06-16 16:00:42 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

thanks carol, so nice as always!