animal minds

Question 1

Morgan’s Canon

Answer 1

In no case may we interpret an action as the outcome of the exercise of a higher psychical faculty, if it can be interpreted as the outcome of one which stands lower on the psychological scale.

Question 2

George Graham quotes against AM

Answer 2

‘the diverse phenomena of human mental life: perceptual experiences, memories, dreams, beliefs, desires, bodily sensations, decisions, emotions, self-awareness’

‘Crude Anthropomorphism, the view that nonhumans may be characterized in absolutely literal human psychological terms, is an intellectual dead end.’

“Thoughtful advocates of minds in animals, computers, or God recognize that crude anthropomorphism must be avoided and fear heading into it.”

Question 3

Hume quotes for AM

Answer 3

‘beasts are endowed with thought and reason as well as men’

examples: bird nests, dog fires

Question 4

Anthropocentrism

Answer 4

Taking humans to be the most important things in the Universe (and to be fundamentally different from other things)

Question 5

Steve’s Canon

Answer 5

We should initially interpret an animal’s action as the outcome of exercising whatever sort of psychical faculty is seems reasonable, and on the basis of experimentation revise our estimation either upwards or downwards as appropriate.

Question 6

Argument from Induction for Other Minds

Answer 6

1. In my own case, I observe that certain behaviours are correlated with particular mental states.
2. Others display these same behaviours.
3. So, by induction, I can conclude that they also do have the same mental states (they also have intentions, beliefs, and desires).

Question 7

Evidential Argument Against Animal Minds

Answer 7

1. In understanding animal minds, we must go with the account that attributes the least cognitive sophistication to animals possible (by Morgan’s Canon).
2. This may well be that animals have no minds at all.
3. The Evidential Problem of Other Minds suggests that it is very difficult to find good
   evidence for mentality in the case of nonhuman animals.
4. So, we are not justified in believing that animals have minds.

Question 8

Davidson’s Network Argument

Answer 8

1. A belief must be positioned within an appropriate network of beliefs — lack the network and you lack the belief.
2. Non-linguistic creatures lack these networks
3. So, Animals don’t have beliefs.

Question 9

Davidson’s Meta-Cognitive Argument

Answer 9

1. In order to have a belief, it is necessary to have the concept of belief.
   • Belief requires capacity for surprise.
   • Surprise requires awareness of contrast between present belief and past expectation.
   • Surprise leads to belief that earlier belief/expectation was false.
   • Therefore, surprise requires belief about beliefs.
2. In order to have the concept of belief one must have language.
3. So, Animals don’t have beliefs.