Animal Minds

Question 1

Biopsychism (2)

Answer 1

A) All organisms have minds (plants have some neural networks)

B) But: propositional attitudes & mental actions

Question 2

Moral reason for animal minds

Answer 2

A) Moral interests require mental states
(E.g. Utilitarianism: pain

Question 3

Anthropological reasons for animal minds (2)

Answer 3

A) Evolutionary psychology: mind evolved from somewhere similar

B) Some features are uniquely human though (e.g. recursive language)

Question 4

Anthropomorphism (3)

Answer 4

A) Projecting human features onto non-human animals

B) Situational (e.g. crazy gay lions)
Can be avoided

C) Categorical -> fallacy
(E.g. animal trials (canon law -> wild animals, insects; civil law -> pets))
But: premature? Can there not be any comparison between humans & animals?

Question 5

Problem of other minds (2)

Answer 5

A) Epistemological problem:

B) Asymmetry problem: how can we know other minds if we cannot transcend our own?

Question 6

Solutions to other minds (3)

Answer 6

A) Analogy: mental states can be inferred from behaviour, brain activity & DNA

B) Inference to the best explanation: assuming mental states has more explanatory & predictive power

C) Wittgensteinian: minds are literally observable in behavior