Experimental Blog # 158

Comments on "Animal Wise" - The Thoughts and Emotions of Our Fellow Creatures by Virginia Morell

Although the 18th century philosopher Voltaire and the 19th century scientist Charles Darwin seem to be exceptions, the science of animal cognition, or cognitive ethology, did not become genuinely scientifically respectable until later in the 20th century.

This science attempts to describe the mental lives of other animals, from "ants to apes"; and more specifically in this book: fish, birds, rats, elephants, dolphins, dogs and wolves.
What do their minds contain? Images, smells, sounds, emotions, memories, self-awareness; even imagination and abstract concepts?

The contributions of contempory science women are very noticable and fundamental. In this book they include: Jane Goodall, Victoria Braithwaite, Irene Pepperberg, Karen McComb, Cynthia Moss, Diana Reiss, and Rachel Smolker.