July 19, 2002. Q: Why doesn’t the Java language support multiple inheritance? A: Whenever you find yourself asking why Java has or does not have some feature, consider the design goals behind ...

Java’s interface language feature confuses many Java newbies. Many mistakenly assume that interfaces only sidestep Java’s failure to support multiple implementation inheritance.

With multiple inheritance you might be tempted to say the Pegasus extends Horse and Bird because you've classified the Bird as an animal with wings. However, Birds have other traits that Pegasi don't.