Animal Consciousness

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Animal Consciousness Animal consciousness Pierre Le Neindre, Emilie Bernard, Alain Boissy, Xavier Boivin, Ludovic Calandreau, Nicolas Delon, Bertrand Deputte, Sonia Desmoulin-canselier, Muriel Dunier-Thomann, Nathan Faivre, et al. To cite this version: Pierre Le Neindre, Emilie Bernard, Alain Boissy, Xavier Boivin, Ludovic Calandreau, et al.. Animal consciousness. [Other] European Food Safety Authority. 2017, 165 p. hal-01594939 HAL Id: hal-01594939 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01594939 Submitted on 26 Sep 2017 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike| 4.0 International License EXTERNAL SCIENTIFIC REPORT APPROVED: 29 November 2016 doi:10.2903/sp.efsa.2017.EN-1196 Animal Consciousness Pierre Le Neindre (1), Emilie Bernard (2), Alain Boissy (3), Xavier Boivin (3), Ludovic Calandreau (4), Nicolas Delon (5), Bertrand Deputte (6), Sonia Desmoulin-Canselier (7), Muriel Dunier (8), Nathan Faivre (9), Martin Giurfa (10), Jean-Luc Guichet (11), Léa Lansade (4), Raphaël Larrère (12), Pierre Mormède (13), Patrick Prunet (14), Benoist Schaal (15), Jacques Servière (16), Claudia Terlouw (3) (1): INRA, 75338 Paris Cedex 07, France; (2): UMR Pegase, INRA, Agrocampus Ouest, 35590 Saint Gilles, France; (3): UMR 1213 Herbivores, INRA, Vetagro Sup, Centre Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 63122 Saint-Genès Champanelle, France; (4): UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements INRA Val de Loire-CNRS-Université de Tours-IFCE, 37380 Nouzilly, France; (5): Environmental Studies and Animal Studies, New York University, USA; (6): Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94704 Maisons Alfort Cedex, France; (7): UMR 6297 Droit et Changement Social, CNRS-Faculté de Droit et Sciences Politiques, , 44313 Nantes Cedex 3, France; (8): Délégation à l'Expertise scientifique collective, à la Prospective et aux Etudes (DEPE), INRA, 75338 Paris Cedex 07, France; 9): UMR 8174, Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne, CNRS, 75647 Paris Cedex 13, France; (10) UMR 5169, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, CNRS-Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France; (11): CAREF, Ecole Supérieure du Professorat et de l’Education de Beauvais, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 60000, Beauvais, France; (12): INRA, UR RITME, 94205 Ivry-sur-Seine, France; (13): UMR 1388 INRA-INPT GenPhySE-Université de Toulouse-ENVT, 31320 Castanet Tolosan, France; (14): UR 1037 Laboratoire de Physiologie et génomique des Poissons, INRA, 35042 Rennes Cedex, France; (15): Centre des Sciences du Goût, CNRS-Université de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté-INRA, 21000 Dijon, France; (16): INRA-AgroParisTech, 75005 Paris, France Abstract After reviewing the literature on current knowledge about consciousness in humans, we present a state-of-the art discussion on consciousness and related key concepts in animals. Obviously much fewer publications are available on non-human species than on humans, most of them relating to laboratory or wild animal species, and only few to livestock species. Human consciousness is by definition subjective and private. Animal consciousness is usually assessed through behavioural performance. Behaviour involves a wide array of cognitive processes that have to be assessed separately using specific experimental protocols. Accordingly, several processes indicative of the presence of consciousness are discussed: perception and cognition, awareness of the bodily-self, self- related knowledge of the environment (including social environment). When available, specific examples are given in livestock species. Next, we review the existing evidence regarding neuronal correlates of consciousness, and emphasize the difficulty of linking aspects of consciousness to specific neural structures across the phyla because high-level cognitive abilities may have evolved independently along evolution. Several mammalian brain structures (cortex and midbrain) are involved in the manifestations of consciousness, while the equivalent functional structures for birds and fishes would likely be the pallium/tectum and midbrain. Caution is required before excluding consciousness in species not having the same brain structures as the mammalian ones as different neural architectures may mediate comparable processes. Finally, specific neurophysiological mechanisms appear to be strongly linked to the emergence of consciousness, namely neural synchrony and neural feedback. Considering the limited amount of data available and the few animal species studied so far, we conclude that different manifestations of consciousness can be observed in animals but that further refinement is still needed to characterize their level and content in each species. Further research is required to clarify these issues, especially in livestock species. © European Food Safety Authority, 2017 Key words: Animal, consciousness, awareness, behaviour, neurobiology, philosophy, adaptation Question number: EFSA-Q-2015-00390 Correspondence: [email protected], [email protected] www.efsa.europa.eu/publications EFSA Supporting publication 2017:EN-1196 Animal consciousness Disclaimer: The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). This task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s), awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. Acknowledgements: Acknowledgement to the reviewers: Robert Dantzer, Professor Dept. of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA; Linda Keeling, Professor in Animal Welfare, Dept. of Animal Environment and Health Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden; David Lindsay, Professor Emeritus, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia (M085), 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Australia; Virginie Michel, Unité Epidémiologie et Bien-Etre en Aviculture et Cuniculture, Agence nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'alimentation, environnement et travail (ANSES), Ploufragan, France. Acknowledgement to: Kim Girard, assistant at DEPE INRA for diligent budget and administrative management; Sophie Le Perchec, INRA librarian, UAR 1266 DV/IST and DEPE, INRA, for librarian advices; Hanna and Antonio Damasio for their advices on November 13th, 2015 (meeting in Paris) Suggested citation: Le Neindre P, Bernard E, Boissy A, Boivin X, Calandreau L, Delon N, Deputte B, Desmoulin-Canselier S, Dunier M, Faivre N, Giurfa M, Guichet J-L, Lansade L, Larrère R, Mormède P, Prunet P, Schaal B, Servière J, Terlouw C, 2017. Animal consciousness. EFSA supporting publication 2017:EN-1196. 165 pp. doi:10.2903/sp.efsa.2017.EN-1196 ISSN: 2397-8325 © European Food Safety Authority, 2017 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Reproduction of the images listed below is prohibited and permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder: Photograph on page 3 ©Fotolia www.efsa.europa.eu/publications 2 EFSA Supporting publication 2017:EN-1196 The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). This task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s), awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the author(s). Animal consciousness www.efsa.europa.eu/publications 3 EFSA Supporting publication 2017:EN-1196 The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). This task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s), awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the author(s). Animal consciousness Summary The current report is based on a corpus of publications partly retrieved from databases (WOS) after an extensive bibliographic search. It provides the
Recommended publications
  • Animal Welfare and the Paradox of Animal Consciousness
    ARTICLE IN PRESS Animal Welfare and the Paradox of Animal Consciousness Marian Dawkins1 Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK 1Corresponding author: e-mail address: [email protected] Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Animal Consciousness: The Heart of the Paradox 2 2.1 Behaviorism Applies to Other People Too 5 3. Human Emotions and Animals Emotions 7 3.1 Physiological Indicators of Emotion 7 3.2 Behavioral Components of Emotion 8 3.2.1 Vacuum Behavior 10 3.2.2 Rebound 10 3.2.3 “Abnormal” Behavior 10 3.2.4 The Animal’s Point of View 11 3.2.5 Cognitive Bias 15 3.2.6 Expressions of the Emotions 15 3.3 The Third Component of Emotion: Consciousness 16 4. Definitions of Animal Welfare 24 5. Conclusions 26 References 27 1. INTRODUCTION Consciousness has always been both central to and a stumbling block for animal welfare. On the one hand, the belief that nonhuman animals suffer and feel pain is what draws many people to want to study animal welfare in the first place. Animal welfare is seen as fundamentally different from plant “welfare” or the welfare of works of art precisely because of the widely held belief that animals have feelings and experience emotions in ways that plants or inanimate objectsdhowever valuableddo not (Midgley, 1983; Regan, 1984; Rollin, 1989; Singer, 1975). On the other hand, consciousness is also the most elusive and difficult to study of any biological phenomenon (Blackmore, 2012; Koch, 2004). Even with our own human consciousness, we are still baffled as to how Advances in the Study of Behavior, Volume 47 ISSN 0065-3454 © 2014 Elsevier Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Mental States in Animals: Cognitive Ethology Jacques Vauclair
    Mental states in animals: cognitive ethology Jacques Vauclair This artHe addresses the quegtion of mentaJ states in animak as viewed in ‘cognitive ethology”. In effect, thk field of research aims at studying naturally occurring behaviours such as food caching, individual recognition, imitation, tool use and communication in wild animals, in order to seek for evidence of mental experiences, self-aw&&reness and intentional@. Cognitive ethologists use some philosophical cencepts (e.g., the ‘intentional stance’) to carry out their programme of the investigation of natural behaviours. A comparison between cognitive ethology and other approaches to the investigation of cognitive processes in animals (e.g., experimental animal psychology) helps to point out the strengths and weaknesses of cognitive ethology. Moreover, laboratory attempts to analyse experimentally Mentional behaviours such as deception, the relationship between seeing and knowing, as well as the ability of animals to monitor their own states of knowing, suggest that cognitive ethology could benefit significantly from the conceptual frameworks and methods of animal cognitive psychology. Both disciplines could, in fact, co&ribute to the understanding of which cognitive abilities are evolutionary adaptations. T he term ‘cognirive ethology’ (CE) was comed by that it advances a purposive or Intentional interpretation Griffin in The Question ofAnimd Au~aarmess’ and later de- for activities which are a mixture of some fixed genetically veloped in other publications’ ‘_ Although Griffin‘s IS’6 transmitred elements with more hexible behaviour?. book was first a strong (and certainly salutary) reacrion (Cognitive ethologists USC conceptual frameworks against the inhibitions imposed by strict behaviourism in provided by philosophers (such as rhe ‘intentional stance’)“.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of Self-Control
    The evolution of self-control Evan L. MacLeana,1, Brian Harea,b, Charles L. Nunna, Elsa Addessic, Federica Amicid, Rindy C. Andersone, Filippo Aurelif,g, Joseph M. Bakerh,i, Amanda E. Baniaj, Allison M. Barnardk, Neeltje J. Boogertl, Elizabeth M. Brannonb,m, Emily E. Brayn, Joel Braya, Lauren J. N. Brentb,o, Judith M. Burkartp, Josep Calld, Jessica F. Cantlonk, Lucy G. Chekeq, Nicola S. Claytonq, Mikel M. Delgador, Louis J. DiVincentis, Kazuo Fujitat, Esther Herrmannd, Chihiro Hiramatsut, Lucia F. Jacobsr,u, Kerry E. Jordanv, Jennifer R. Laudew, Kristin L. Leimgruberx, Emily J. E. Messerl, Antonio C. de A. Mouray, Ljerka Ostojicq, Alejandra Picardz, Michael L. Platta,b,o,aa, Joshua M. Plotnikq,bb, Friederike Rangecc,dd, Simon M. Readeree, Rachna B. Reddyff, Aaron A. Sandelff, Laurie R. Santosx, Katrin Schumannd, Amanda M. Seedl, Kendra B. Sewalle, Rachael C. Shawq, Katie E. Slocombez, Yanjie Sugg, Ayaka Takimotot, Jingzhi Tana, Ruoting Taol, Carel P. van Schaikp, Zsófia Virányicc, Elisabetta Visalberghic, Jordan C. Wadew, Arii Watanabeq, Jane Widnessx, Julie K. Younghh, Thomas R. Zentallw, and Yini Zhaogg Departments of aEvolutionary Anthropology, aaNeurobiology, and mPsychology and Neuroscience, and bCenter for Cognitive Neuroscience, oDuke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708; cIstituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 00197 Rome, Italy; dDepartment of Developmental and Comparative Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany;
    [Show full text]
  • Intentional Systems in Cognitive Ethology: the "Panglossian Paradigm" Defended
    THE BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN SCIENCES (1983) 6, 343-390 Printed in the United States of America Intentional systems in cognitive ethology: The "Panglossian paradigm" defended Daniel C. Dennett Department of Philosophy, Tufts University, Medford, Mass. 02155 Abstract: Ethologists and others studying animal behavior in a "cognitive" spirit are in need of a descriptive language and method that are neither anachronistically bound by behaviorist scruples nor prematurely committed to particular "information-processing models. "Just such an interim descriptive method can be found in intentional system theory. The use of intentional system theory is illustrated with the case of the apparently communicative behavior of vervet monkeys. A way of using the theory to generate data - including usable, testable "anecdotal" data - is sketched. The underlying assumptions of this approach can be seen to ally it directly with "adaptationist' theorizing in evolutionary biology, which has recently come under attack from Stephen Gould and Richard Lewontin, who castigate it as the "Panglossian paradigm." Their arguments, which are strongly analogous to B. F. Skinner's arguments against "mentalism," point to certain pitfalls that attend the careless exercise of such "Panglossian" thinking (and rival varieties of thinking as well), but do not constitute a fundamental objection to either adaptationist theorizing or its cousin, intentional system theory. Keywords: adaptation; animal cognition; behaviorism; cognitive ethology; communication; comparative psychology; consciousness;
    [Show full text]
  • The Cognitive Animal Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives on Animal Cognition
    This PDF includes a chapter from the following book: The Cognitive Animal Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives on Animal Cognition © 2002 Massachusetts Institute of Technology License Terms: Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ OA Funding Provided By: The open access edition of this book was made possible by generous funding from Arcadia—a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin. The title-level DOI for this work is: doi:10.7551/mitpress/1885.001.0001 Downloaded from http://direct.mit.edu/books/edited-volume/chapter-pdf/677472/9780262268028_f000000.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 Introduction There are as many approaches to studying ani- and The Expression of the Emotions in Man and mal cognition as there are definitions of cogni- Animals (1872). Consequently, both disciplines tion itself. This diversity is reflected in the essays are almost inextricably linked to the concept of that follow, to a degree that we believe is un- instinct. Darwin viewed instinct primarily in be- paralleled in any other volume that has been havioral terms and considered his ability to ex- produced on this subject. This diversity is philo- plain instinct through natural selection to be one sophical and methodological, with contributors of the most critical tests of his theories. Thus he demonstrating various degrees of acceptance or compared closely related species of bees to ex- disdain for terms such as ‘‘consciousness’’ and plain the evolution of hive building and closely various degrees of concern for the rigors of lab- related species of ants to explain the origins of oratory experimentation versus the validity of slave making.
    [Show full text]
  • Bees, Brains and Behaviour: a Philosophical Essay in Theoretical Biology
    Bees, Brains and Behaviour: A Philosophical Essay In Theoretical Biology Phiilip A Veldhuis A thesis submiaed to the Fucully of Graduate Studies in parLial Fulflment of the requirementsfor the dcgree of Miasters of Arts Department of Phcüoophy Unntetssiry of Manit00 Wh@%, Manitoba National Library Bibliothèque nationale u*u of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliogmphic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellingtûn Street 395, rue Weilington Ottawa ON KiA ON4 OnawaON K1AW canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of ttus thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propnéte du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fkom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES ***** COPYRIGHT PERMISSION PAGE Bees, Bths and Bebaviow: A PMiosophicd Essay in Theoreoeil Biology PhUp A Veldhuis A Thtsio/Pncticum rubmitteà to the Ficulty of Graduate Studies of The University of Manitoba in partial MfWment of the requirements of the dcgm of Master of Arts Permission bu ben grrnted to the Libnry of Tk Univeriity of Manitoba to lend or aell copier of thb thcdilpncticum, to the National Lmriry of Canada to microfilm this thcris and to lend or cdl copies of the lilm, and to Disaertidons Abstractr International to pubürh an abstnct of this thaidpridcpm.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of Self-Control PNAS PLUS
    The evolution of self-control PNAS PLUS Evan L. MacLeana,1, Brian Harea,b, Charles L. Nunna, Elsa Addessic, Federica Amicid, Rindy C. Andersone, Filippo Aurelif,g, Joseph M. Bakerh,i, Amanda E. Baniaj, Allison M. Barnardk, Neeltje J. Boogertl, Elizabeth M. Brannonb,m, Emily E. Brayn, Joel Braya, Lauren J. N. Brentb,o, Judith M. Burkartp, Josep Calld, Jessica F. Cantlonk, Lucy G. Chekeq, Nicola S. Claytonq, Mikel M. Delgador, Louis J. DiVincentis, Kazuo Fujitat, Esther Herrmannd, Chihiro Hiramatsut, Lucia F. Jacobsr,u, Kerry E. Jordanv, Jennifer R. Laudew, Kristin L. Leimgruberx, Emily J. E. Messerl, Antonio C. de A. Mouray, Ljerka Ostojicq, Alejandra Picardz, Michael L. Platta,b,o,aa, Joshua M. Plotnikq,bb, Friederike Rangecc,dd, Simon M. Readeree, Rachna B. Reddyff, Aaron A. Sandelff, Laurie R. Santosx, Katrin Schumannd, Amanda M. Seedl, Kendra B. Sewalle, Rachael C. Shawq, Katie E. Slocombez, Yanjie Sugg, Ayaka Takimotot, Jingzhi Tana, Ruoting Taol, Carel P. van Schaikp, Zsófia Virányicc, Elisabetta Visalberghic, Jordan C. Wadew, Arii Watanabeq, Jane Widnessx, Julie K. Younghh, Thomas R. Zentallw, and Yini Zhaogg Departments of aEvolutionary Anthropology, aaNeurobiology, and mPsychology and Neuroscience, and bCenter for Cognitive Neuroscience, oDuke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708; cIstituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 00197 Rome, Italy; dDepartment of Developmental and Comparative Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, D-04103
    [Show full text]
  • "DO DOGS APE?" OR "DO APES DOG?" and DOES Rr MATTER? BROADENING and DEEPENING COGNITIVE ETHOLOGY
    "DO DOGS APE?" OR "DO APES DOG?" AND DOES rr MATTER? BROADENING AND DEEPENING COGNITIVE ETHOLOGY By MA~c BEKOFF4' "Certainlyit seems like a dirty double-cross to enter into a relationshipof trust and affection with any creaturethat can enter into such a relationship, and then to be a party to'its premeditated and premature destruction."1 I. RAiN WrrHouT TmmDER, ANimAS Wrrour MINDS In Rain Without Thunder, Gary Francione raises numerous impor- tant issues and takes on many important people.2 The phrase "rain with- out thunder" made me think about the notion of animals without minds- animals without thoughts or feelings. This idea is troublesome for the nonhuman animals (hereafter animals) to whom it is attributed because it is much easier for humans to exploit animals when we believe that they don't have thoughts or feelings. I have been privileged to study various aspects of animal behavior for over 25 years, including animal cognition3 (cognitive ethology), and have attempted to learn more about how the study of animal cognition can aid discussions of animal protection. 4 As a * Professor of Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder;, A.B. and PILD., Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri; Guggenheim Fellow and Fellow of the Animal Behavior Soci- ety; Correspondence: Marc Bekoff, 296 Canyonside Drive, Boulder, Colorado 80302; Emaih [email protected] 1 LAWRENCE E. JoHNsoN, A MORALLY DEEP WoRLD: AN E.sxe*ON MORAL SIGNIFICANCE AND ENvmonwNAL ETmcs 122 (1991). 2 GARY L. FPNtcioNE, RAiN WmoUr TnuDER TIE IDEOLOGY OF mm.EAn,,AL RPiurrs MovmiErr (1996). 3 INTERPRrrATION AND EXPLANATION IN T-E STUDY OF Amm- Bcsxion (Marc Bekoff & Dale Jamieson eds., 1990); READINGS 1N AmAL COGNMON (Marc Bekoff & Dale Jamieson eds., 1996); Marc Bekoff & Colin Allen, Cognitive Ethology: Slayers, Skeptics, and Propo- nents, in ANmRoPoiORPmS.e ANscDoTE, ANzmms: TuE EMpERiO's NEW CLOTnts? 313 (Rob- ert W.
    [Show full text]
  • Cognitive Ethology Ádám Miklósi Dept
    Introduction to Cognitive ethology Ádám Miklósi Dept. of Ethology Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest [email protected] 2018 Literature This lecture series is based on Shettleworth, S. J. 2010 Cognition, evolution and behaviour (2nd edition) Oxford University Press Pages where you find background information to these topics: •CH 1, 2: 1-53 Introduction •CH 4: 96-119 Learning •CH 8: 261-283; 296-310 Spatial Cognition •CH 12: 417-455 Social cognition •CH 13: 466-497 Social learning •CH 14: 508-546 Communication You DON NOT have to know/learn all of this, check by means of the ppt files which parts of the chapters are relevant Ethology is the biological study of animal and human behaviour in the natural environment (Tinbergen 1953) Why do we study animals? 1. Understanding the biology of animal behaviour (evolution, genetics, physiology, cognition) 2. Understanding human behaviour 3. Practical reasons (welfare, agriculture) Ethological research has significant effect on people’s perceptions of animals Movies, television, shows, books, magazines Concept 1: Darwinian Evolution Natural selection: Change in the characteristics of organisms over time („continuity”) 1. Large reproductive potential in populations 2. Fixed amount of resources 3. Individuals compete for resources (fitness = offspring) 4. There is an individual variation 5. Individual traits can be inherited (Darwin: Origin of the species) Levels (unit) of selection: gene, individual, kin Concept 1: Darwinian Evolution Sources of variation: Mutation and recombination Adaptation: Is it a circular argument? Just so stories? Can we detect and measure adaptation? Distinguishing „adaptation” from „adaptive” Gould and Vrba (1982): Adaptation: specific evolutionary change as a response to a specific environmental parameter Exaptation: earlier adaptation new function non-adaptation („by product”) new function Adaptation has a function Exaptation has an effect E.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Aquatic Animals, Cognitive Ethology, and Ethics: Questions About Sentience and Other Troubling Issues That Lurk in Turbid Water
    DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS Vol. 75: 87–98, 2007 Published May 4 Dis Aquat Org OPEN ACCESS Aquatic animals, cognitive ethology, and ethics: questions about sentience and other troubling issues that lurk in turbid water Marc Bekoff* Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0334, USA ABSTRACT: In this general, strongly pro-animal, and somewhat utopian and personal essay, I argue that we owe aquatic animals respect and moral consideration just as we owe respect and moral con- sideration to all other animal beings, regardless of the taxonomic group to which they belong. In many ways it is more difficult to convince some people of our ethical obligations to numerous aquatic animals because we do not identify or empathize with them as we do with animals with whom we are more familiar or to whom we are more closely related, including those species (usually terrestrial) to whom we refer as charismatic megafauna. Many of my examples come from animals that are more well studied but they can be used as models for aquatic animals. I follow Darwinian notions of evolu- tionary continuity to argue that if we feel pain, then so too do many other animals, including those that live in aquatic environs. Recent scientific data (‘science sense’) show clearly that many aquatic organisms, much to some people’s surprise, likely suffer at our hands and feel their own sorts of pain. Throughout I discuss how cognitive ethology (the study of animal minds) is the unifying science for understanding the subjective, emotional, empathic, and moral lives of animals because it is essential to know what animals do, think, and feel as they go about their daily routines.
    [Show full text]
  • Animal Umwelten in a Changing World
    Tartu Semiotics Library 18 Tartu Tartu Semiotics Library 18 Animal umwelten in a changing world: Zoosemiotic perspectives represents a clear and concise review of zoosemiotics, present- ing theories, models and methods, and providing interesting examples of human–animal interactions. The reader is invited to explore the umwelten of animals in a successful attempt to retrieve the relationship of people with animals: a cornerstone of the past common evolutionary processes. The twelve chapters, which cover recent developments in zoosemiotics and much more, inspire the reader to think about the human condition and about ways to recover our lost contact with the animal world. Written in a clear, concise style, this collection of articles creates a wonderful bridge between Timo Maran, Morten Tønnessen, human and animal worlds. It represents a holistic approach Kristin Armstrong Oma, rich with suggestions for how to educate people to face the dynamic relationships with nature within the conceptual Laura Kiiroja, Riin Magnus, framework of the umwelt, providing stimulus and opportuni- Nelly Mäekivi, Silver Rattasepp, ties to develop new studies in zoosemiotics. Professor Almo Farina, CHANGING WORLD A IN UMWELTEN ANIMAL Paul Thibault, Kadri Tüür University of Urbino “Carlo Bo” This important book offers the first coherent gathering of perspectives on the way animals are communicating with each ANIMAL UMWELTEN other and with us as environmental change requires increasing adaptation. Produced by a young generation of zoosemiotics scholars engaged in international research programs at Tartu, IN A CHANGING this work introduces an exciting research field linking the biological sciences with the humanities. Its key premises are that all animals participate in a dynamic web of meanings WORLD: and signs in their own distinctive styles, and all animal spe- cies have distinctive cultures.
    [Show full text]
  • Anthrozoology
    28 ANTHROZOOLOGY theory, has come a renewed acceptance of anthropomorphism. prehistory to the present, including archaeozoology, anthro Ethologists have been joined by psychologists and philosophers pology and sociology; (ii) the effects of associations with in research into the minds of animals. This multidisciplinary animal companions on the development of personality, field of research, known as cognitive ethology, has resulted attitudes and other traits in humans, encompassing psychology in a multitude of investigations into consciousness, cogni and psychiatry; (iii) the therapeutic effects of companion tion, self-awareness and intelligence, as well as on whether animals; and (iv) the ethology of human—animal interactions. animals feel pain, anger, fear, love and have a theory of mind. A further two decades on, knowledge has increased in all of With the expanding research into animal minds has come these areas, and there have also been attempts to forge links the general realization that anthropomorphism does not between them to develop underlying theories of the human— disrupt scientific observation but supports the continuity animal ‘bond’, which will be covered in the latter part of this between humans and animals. A strong supporter of this view entry. is Frans de Waal who, in writing about attitudes to anthro— The roles of animals in human cultures have often been pomorphism, cites the example of his chimpanzee, Georgia, studied from an anthropocentric viewpoint and so fall who regularly ‘plays a trick’ on visitors by taking a drink of outside the scope of this volume. Archaeozoology has made a water and then spraying them with it from her cheek pouches valuable contribution towards our understanding of the (Waal, 2001).
    [Show full text]