Do Animals Think?

Answer 1

Animals other than humans think.
Mammals think in ways somewhat similar to humans, so humans can perceive them apparently thinking.
We had a problem with ants in the kitchen one year. I built an obstacle course with all supports standing in water (which ants can't go through), and the only route to honey was up a pole, across a Cotton thread, through a twisted stand of plastic.
The access to the obstacle course, was further away from where ants came in than the honey. A few ants unfortunately fell into the water, but within a short time the were following the obstacle course, crossing each other on the cotton thread, (one going upside down), and bringing the honey back the same way.

Many 'experts' state that animals other than humans do not think consciously, I am not convinced.

Answer 2

Yes. But to different degrees. There are many different theories on this, depending on what "thinking" is definied as.

Some animals have what is known as "Zero Order Rationality" - in other words, they are programmed to do a job and they do it - like an ATM. Possible inclusions for this are insects (*colonies* of ants, bees etc, learn, but not the individuals).

Some animals have "First Order Rationality" - they have to ability to observe their surroundings and link A with B - eg. a pet associating the tin opener with dinner time.

"Second Order Rationality" is the ability to think and manipulate their environment, which normally involves a certain degree of empathy, ie, if I do A, then B happens (eg if I go to the door and whine, then I can go outside).

Basically the degree of thinking increases with the complexity of the organism nad its nervous system, but abstract thought is very hard to prove (although one parrot did get taught to recognise shapes and colours).

Self awareness is one way of deciding on the complexity of thought patterns - it may not seem like it, but being able to split the universe into "me" and "everything else" is something only a few species will do, along wit displaying empathy (being able to rationalise what someone else is thinking). Higher primates, dolphins, and elephants (as of this week, previous experiments used mirrors too small for their bad eyesight) can recognise their own reflection in the mirrir - something a two year old child can't do.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Interesting question. Yes, I'd say that they think. I'd even bet that they have some kind of emotions. However, most animals don't seem to have a thought process like we do.
Such as, "To be or not to be?"
Or more importantly, "The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything"

Answer 5

Next time they have a TV show about squirrels, check it out!
It's unreal how a squirrel can find its way through any kind of an obstacle course if there is food at the end! On top of that, when one squirrel figures it out, all the rest of the group can go right through it, too! Hows that for thinking animals, eh?

Answer 6

Yes- all sorts of animals think but here is my own experience with thinking animals. I have a 7 month old lab puppy and when he doesn't get his way he sits and pouts (litterally- it can be cute at first now it is like the terrible 2s) but this shows he is thinking about not getting his way.

Answer 7

Animals certainly think. They think of how to survive, find a mate, fighting tactics, and prevent themselves on other predator's menu. If they did not think, they have no way to survive a second. It's quite amazing really, no matter how small the animal is, it still has abrain which thinks a lot on their survival.

Answer 8

Yes, but not in the human form. Thinking, is subjective. Man has creativity. Some great apes, namely the Chimp use drawing / painting to talk or communicate. Other animals use inbreed or instincts to perform actions IE. feeding, hiding, fighting, hunting IE. playing to own their skills..

Answer 9

Yes, domesticated pets think about lots of things, food, owner, playing etc, wild animals tend to think mostly about where there next meal is coming from.

Answer 10

Yes, I do think animals think. If they didn't they couldn't be trained or learn how to do things by watching. My horse Moon knows how to unlock his stall gate and get out. Now I have to lock his stall with a padlock because he knows how to raise the latch.