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The Animal Mind: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Animal Cognition
The philosophy of animal minds addresses profound questions about the nature of mind and the relationships between humans and other animals. In this fully revised and updated introductory text, Kristin Andrews introduces and assesses the essential topics, problems, and debates as they cut across animal cognition and philosophy of mind, citing historical and cutting-edge empirical data and case studies throughout. The second edition includes a new chapter on animal culture. There are also new sections on the evolution of consciousness and tool use in animals, as well as substantially revised sections on mental representation, belief, communication, theory of mind, animal ethics, and moral psychology. Further features such as chapter summaries, annotated further reading, and a glossary make The Animal Mind an indispensable introduction to those teaching philosophy of mind, philosophy of animal minds or animal cognition. It will also be an excellent resource for those in fields such as ethology, biology, and psychology.
320 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 26, 2024
quack quack
April 23, 2021
This is a solid overview and introduction to the science and philosophy of animal minds. It covers not only what we know about animal minds - their various capacities and abilities (like communication and empathy) - but how we come to know it; the methods of the sciences of animal minds, and the various background assumptions and theories required. I would definitely use this if teaching on the subject, but is also good for anyone interested in the topics.
February 10, 2018
English / Español
In this book, the author takes on a journey to explore different work about the minds of animals. Do animals have a concept of self? Do animals understand other's intentions? Do they communicate using language or do they just respond to stimilu?
These are the kind of questions that the author tries to explore, and she does a great job explaining how hard it is to do research this area, the advances in the science of animal behavior and cognition and explains a lot of concepts using great examples.
Is a great read, but I think it is for people who already know about cognitive science or philosophy of mind, or maybe biologists but I think a reader that does not read academic books that often could find a hard time with it.
________
En este libro, la autora nos lleva a un increíble viaje para explorar los diferentes trabajos que se han hecho sobre la mente de los animales. ¿Los animales tienen autoconcepto? ¿Los animales entienden las intenciones de otros? ¿Se comunican por medio de un lenguaje o simplemente reaccionan reflexivamente ante estímulos? Estas son el tipo de preguntas que la autora trata de resolver, y hace un gran trabajo explicando las dificultades de hacer investigación en el área, los avances científicos en cognición y conducta animal, y explica los conceptos usando ejemplos muy acertados.
Es un libro increíble, pero creo que está dirigido a gente que ya tiene conocimientos previos en cognición o filosofía de la mente, aunque biólogos también podrían disfrutarlo. El punto es que no sé que tan buena idea sea acercarse a él sin tener conocimientos previos.
In this book, the author takes on a journey to explore different work about the minds of animals. Do animals have a concept of self? Do animals understand other's intentions? Do they communicate using language or do they just respond to stimilu?
These are the kind of questions that the author tries to explore, and she does a great job explaining how hard it is to do research this area, the advances in the science of animal behavior and cognition and explains a lot of concepts using great examples.
Is a great read, but I think it is for people who already know about cognitive science or philosophy of mind, or maybe biologists but I think a reader that does not read academic books that often could find a hard time with it.
________
En este libro, la autora nos lleva a un increíble viaje para explorar los diferentes trabajos que se han hecho sobre la mente de los animales. ¿Los animales tienen autoconcepto? ¿Los animales entienden las intenciones de otros? ¿Se comunican por medio de un lenguaje o simplemente reaccionan reflexivamente ante estímulos? Estas son el tipo de preguntas que la autora trata de resolver, y hace un gran trabajo explicando las dificultades de hacer investigación en el área, los avances científicos en cognición y conducta animal, y explica los conceptos usando ejemplos muy acertados.
Es un libro increíble, pero creo que está dirigido a gente que ya tiene conocimientos previos en cognición o filosofía de la mente, aunque biólogos también podrían disfrutarlo. El punto es que no sé que tan buena idea sea acercarse a él sin tener conocimientos previos.
March 21, 2024
This quote stuck with me:
“Both utilitarian and deontological approaches [to determining whether animals have moral value] are anthropocentric, and take as a starting position the fact that humans are valuable. Another way to approach the issue of what matters is to consider how relationships create value, and to develop and use moral imagination to see how different kinds of beings participate in lives of significance, even if they are very different from our own. Relationships can be the source of value, and beings in relationship merit respect. Such approaches are used to show that we have moral and political obligations toward other animals.”
CARE ETHICS FTW???
“Both utilitarian and deontological approaches [to determining whether animals have moral value] are anthropocentric, and take as a starting position the fact that humans are valuable. Another way to approach the issue of what matters is to consider how relationships create value, and to develop and use moral imagination to see how different kinds of beings participate in lives of significance, even if they are very different from our own. Relationships can be the source of value, and beings in relationship merit respect. Such approaches are used to show that we have moral and political obligations toward other animals.”
CARE ETHICS FTW???
March 15, 2018
Very extensive, but sometimes quite complicated. And the conclusion in almost every chapter is the same: everything depends on the definition you use, and often we don't know enough yet.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews