Evidence Points To Conscious 'Metacognition' In Some Nonhuman Animals

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Sep. 15, 2009) — J. David Smith, Ph.D., a comparative psychologist at the University at Buffalo who has conducted extensive studies in animal cognition, says there is growing evidence that animals share functional parallels with human conscious metacognition -- that is, they may share humans' ability to reflect upon, monitor or regulate their states of mind.


Smith makes this conclusion in an article published the September issue of the journal Trends in Cognitive Science (Volume 13, Issue 9). He reviews this new and rapidly developing area of comparative inquiry, describing its milestones and its prospects for continued progress.

He says "comparative psychologists have studied the question of whether or not non-human animals have knowledge of their own cognitive states by testing a dolphin, pigeons, rats, monkeys and apes using perception, memory and food-concealment paradigms.

"The field offers growing evidence that some animals have functional parallels to humans' consciousness and to humans' cognitive self-awareness," he says. Among these species are dolphins and macaque monkeys (an Old World monkey species).

more:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914172644.htm

Comment- Of course they do, anyone who has pets and watches them closely knows this....although proof is good to have.

[Ozymanithrax]

1. If animals can think...

What do we need souls for?

[aquart]

2. Are you saying animals have no souls?

Not to mention that animals have long been known to think, figure out strategies, deal with situations that arise. This is an entirely different level of self-awareness that is being discussed.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. I know animals have soles, excepting snakes and fishes.

But I know of no doctrine that says animals have souls, though there is an unsubstantiated claim that humans do. But if there is such a thing, then why not animals. And if animals have one, why not bacteria.

What is really cool is the aspects of animal communication, that self awareness and cognition may be a side affect of having a brain of a certain complexity. If all it requires is that complexity, then what use is the soul.

[eShirl]

4. How does one know there are any souls,

or what has a soul and what doesn't? What is/would be the function of a soul?

edit: Maybe I should look for a DU Philosophy forum...

[unpossibles]

5. fish may not have soles but some fish ARE soles...

ponder that one!

I'm just going to sit here and flounder.

[rosesaylavee]

6. These are deep waters to plumb...

:rofl:

[n2doc]

7. I think I will skate around that one

...when you're on a midnight dive and you feel something grab your thigh....that's a Moray...

[unpossibles]

8. I swear to cod ....

these puns are going to make me tuna you out.

[n2doc]

9. It was just a Fluke! n/t

[miyazaki]

10. time to erect a barracuda here.

pfff, i tried.

[unpossibles]

11. don't get puffery

That was a good pun, although I betta you could do batter....

[n2doc]

12. I'm gonna clam up. n/t

[miyazaki]

13. this thread has become really shad. n/t

[Hissyspit]

15. It has jumped the shark. nt

[Indenturedebtor]

16. If people had no souls than what would McCain eat? n/t

[Hissyspit]

14. Duh. No surprise there.

Only human arrogance has allowed us to separate homo sapiens sapiens so completely from the developmental capacities of other animal species. In fact, based on the arrogance my cats display, we are even closer than they are saying.

[Indenturedebtor]

17. No kidding. One of my puppehs behaves just like a 3 yr old child. "Words" n all