Minds of Their Own: Thinking and Awareness in Animals

Description

"Consciousness in animals is a controversial and very recent field of study. This book braves the subject from the point of view of the scientist ready to question traditions and beliefs about the meaning of animal behaviour." "Do animals have ideas and do they think about objects that they cannot see or about situations that have occurred in the past? Do they consciously make plans for the future or do they simply react unthinkingly to objects as they appear and to situations as they arise? Are animals aware of themselves and of others or is this an ability unique to humans? Minds of their Own addresses these questions by looking at the different behaviour characteristics of a variety of animals, the evolution of the brain and when consciousness might have evolved."--Jacket. Read more... Abstract: Do Animals have ideas? Do they experience pain like humans? Do they think about objects that they cannot see? About situations that have occurred in the past? Do they consciously make plans for the future or do they simply react unthinkingly to objects as they appear and situations as they arise? All of these questions have bearing on whether or not animals have consciousness. The advent of computers that "think" has lead us to consider intelligence" in a way we never thought possible a decade ago. But when and how does information processing in the brain become automatic?In Minds of Their Own, Lesley J. Rogers examines the issue of animal thought both sympathetically and critically by looking at the different behaviour characteristics of a variety of animals, the evolution of the brain and when consciousness might have evolved. To most people, to be conscious means to be aware of oneself as well as to be aware of others. But does this hold true for animals? The answer may have implications which transcend mere scientific inquiry: if animals are cognizant creatures, what, if any, moral responsibility do humans have to assure their rights? This timely book examines this issue and others by emphasizing comparisons between humans and animals: how we evolved how we remember how we learn. Read more...