The problem of animal thinking and intelligence has not given scientists peace for many years. Dictionaries define the inherent intelligence of the animal kingdom as the highest form of mental activity inherent in monkeys and some other vertebrates. The peculiarity of intelligence is the creature’s ability to display the components of the world in which it lives, as well as relationships, situations, and connecting events. They say about intelligence if an animal has the power to deal with complex tasks using non-stereotypical approaches, various options, including transference. Intelligence allows you to resort to various information obtained by an individual previously in personal experience.
What is it about?
Scientists, trying to assess the level of intelligence of animals, realized that such a feature of the psychic activity of an individual manifests itself mainly in thought processes. At the same time, the thinking inherent in the representatives of the animal world does not always have a motor or sensory concrete character. Thinking proceeds relative to objects; in practice, it is expressed by the ability to analyze the connections of phenomena and synthesize them. Thinking takes place in relation to a specific situation in which the individual finds itself which the animal is observing.
As further studies have shown, intelligence is determined by the laws of biology. This allows you to distinguish it from the background inherent in man. Even individuals that are relatively close to our species cannot think abstractly. Representatives of the animal world inaccessible conceptual thinking. Currently conducted studies make it possible to say with confidence that animals are unable to perceive the root connections of cause and effect.
What did you think before?
Since ancient times, people have been thinking about how and in what categories the representatives of the animal world think. Quite interesting calculations devoted to this can be found in Arabic books. In those days, it was believed that the intelligence and language of animals and humans, although they differ, but the inherent in the first is sufficient to understand the superiority of the second. Some representatives of the Arab tribes seriously believed that lions, looking at representatives of humanity, see not just another living creature, but a divine image, due to which the animal is filled with humility. Some believed that at the sight of a man, a lion begins to think about possible methods of action, understands that protection methods are unpredictable for him, so you should leave the field of view so as not to suffer. In those days, the Arabs believed that lions think in the same way as humans, are able to analyze the presence of dangerous products, weapons from a person met, as well as assess risks, weighing the facts.
Subsequently, such ideas were not forgotten. For example, psychologists who studied and compared the intelligence of animals and humans in the last century created approximately the same opuses in which they explained in detail the line of thought of a representative of the animal world. It is worth noting that such works were popular and appreciated by the audience. In the old days, usually the study of the psyche of a non-human was reduced to divination and judgments about what thoughts animals think. People didn’t even wonder if thoughts of our lesser brothers are inherent as a category. Previously, almost no difference was found between animal and human.
Zoopsychology: seriously and not so
Today this area (almost scientific, but not quite) is called anecdotal zoopsychology. In the framework of such studies, the intelligence maps of wild animals, the ability to think in representatives of the animal world living near humans, were compiled and evaluated based on random observations, someone noticed facts that were not given an adequate explanation. Even jokes among hunters were largely influenced - surprisingly, but at some point they became the basis for scientific calculations. Speculative speculation played a role. The anecdotal animal psychology, it would seem, could not hurt anyone, but such ideas slowed down the development of scientific progress and for a long time discredited zoopsychology as a sphere of serious research. People began to say that the study of the animal psyche belongs to the zone of absurdity, the psychology of animals is impossible and incredible in principle.
Further progress in scientific research in animal skills and intelligence has shown that zoopsychology is taking place. Moreover, the responsible scientists who have devoted themselves to this issue have clearly demonstrated the importance of conducting adequate research. The true approach does not imply the humanization of representatives of the animal world, but specializes in the study of the psyche - simplified in comparison with the human. As tests have shown, the inherent psyche of animals is organized and structured quite differently from the human one, which made the determination of its inherent structure an even more curious task.
Differences: is there?
Comparing the intelligence of animals and humans, we found that the psyche of representatives of our species is due to the features of the formation, fundamentally different from all others. For a person, labor, as well as social practices, became the basis. In animals, such phenomena are absent in principle. At the same time, the human psyche and the consciousness of representatives of the species originated in ancient times, even before the advent of mankind - from our ancestors. To navigate this issue, scientists conducted comparative studies.
In many respects, the successes in studying the intrinsic intelligence of the animal kingdom are due to the work of the Soviet scientist Severtsov. The study of the intelligence of individuals belonging to different evolutionary stages is necessary in order to navigate the laws of evolution. Severtsov proved that the psyche is one of the key aspects of animal evolution.
Names and Ideas
Lenin spoke of how important animals with intelligence are. In his works, one can find indications of the opinion that the development of the mind of representatives of the animal world is a sphere of scientific research, which should be the dialectical base and the foundation of cognitive theory. In the general case, it is said that the subject of zoopsychological research works extends beyond the highly specialized sphere of psychologists working with animals. However, people who disagree with materialistic ideas believe that it is impossible to know the world. This affected the study of the psyche of animals and their intellectual capabilities.
Dubois-Reymond in his works identified seven key puzzles that will never be investigated by science. He spoke of the powerlessness of science and the inability of man to know the world. The fifth point out of seven was the emergence of consciousness, and the sixth was the development of thinking, and with it the ability to speak coherently. The scientist devoted other points to biological, physical general problems. Dubois-Reimond wrote his work as a representative of the reactionary ideological movement, which turned out to be stronger than the desire of natural scientists of that time to study the psyche of man and animals. Ultimately, at that moment, intelligence was recognized as a gift of supreme power.
Know: is it possible?
Today it is obviously proved that the postulates of Dubois-Reymond were incorrect. It became clear that those who considered the studies, designed to determine whether animals, far from reality, were useless, were also wrong. However, the study of these areas for scientists of our day is a considerable difficulty, because it is impossible to get into the soul of a representative of the living world, whoever and whatever it may be, which means it is extremely difficult to judge the manifestations, drawing simple analogies with what is already for certain it is known. It is even more unacceptable to guess, so as not to return to the previous anecdotal science.
Quite curious in this matter are Fishel's works on whether animals have intelligence, what it is and where it came from. This scientist talks about personal research experience. Fishel is appreciated for his great contribution to the study of the psychology of both animals and humans. His first known work was published in 1938, later several more works were published. From year to year, at the initiative of the scientist, colloquiums were organized devoted to intellect and animal psychology. This turned out to be useful for representatives of the agricultural sector of the national industry.
Step by step
Studying the problem of animal intelligence, Fishel made a special aspect on revealing the presence of goals among representatives of this world. No less attention is paid to the emotional state of the subject, the experiences experienced by animals. Emotions are associated with behavioral motivation, as they enhance certain physiological functions of the body, leading to an increase in vital activity. Such activity is directed to specific objects or processes in the environment in which the individual lives. Studies devoted to this problem were published in primary form, then reprinted, and at present the most curious is the work that saw the light in 1967.
Studying the problem of animal intelligence and the nuances of brain activity, Fishel resorted to cybernetic achievements. At the same time, the scientist did not seek to associate biological processes in the central nervous system and physical processes characteristic of models in cybernetics. He set himself the task of clearly proving that only the result is the same, but the processes themselves leading to it are very different. The specificity of the flowing is considered one of the most important aspects of the study of brain functionality. For scientists, the result is important, but the study of the processes in the brain leading to it is considered even more significant. Presumably, zoopsychological research in the future will finally reveal the features of what is happening in the central nervous system of animals at different levels.
Theory and practice
Modern studies of human and animal intelligence are largely based on Pavlov's earlier study of monkeys. Particularly curious are works organized with the involvement of anthropoid species. As it was possible to establish for certain, the monkeys differ from other representatives of the animal world in a kind of manual thinking, which probably acts as a prerequisite for understanding, primary work on the task. Manual thinking was the ability of an animal to receive information and think through hands. Accordingly, experience appears as the result of a practical analysis of objects that an individual manipulates. Such thinking takes place in action, it appears when you feel, try to break, open a certain product. Intelligence, thinking are active during nutrition, during the game, and the individual studies the subject and realizes the connections of its elements.
Studying the intellect of humans and animals, it was established that for the latter only awareness of relationships is available, which can be touched, seen. This is the basic condition for thinking of a monkey, which limits the intellectual capabilities of the individual. However, in other animals, even such qualities were not found, therefore manual thinking is considered to be inherent exclusively to monkeys. This does not exclude the presence of rudiments of intelligence in representatives of other species.
Causes, effects and thinking
Studying the intelligence of animals, scientists, of course, pay special attention to monkeys, but this does not mean that their ability to think should be overestimated. This is especially true if we consider the lower species. Observations were made of some individuals who, it would seem, created some kind of weapon from improvised material that could achieve the desired goal. Adequate evaluation of the observations showed that the animal did not understand the real possibilities of using what it created. Consequently, the causal relationship for him remained unattainable. Everything is somewhat more complicated in humanoid varieties, which are able to assess what causes lead to specific consequences, but their possibilities for such an analysis of the situation are very limited.
This is not to say that animal intelligence has nothing to do with the human, because, as scientists have established, initially our ancestors had the opportunity to think only with their hands. Labor is the primary source of the human mind; it is also the foundation of intellectual abilities. It's about manual labor. He does not seem to be without the use of tools, and only he who has hands received from monkeys can use them. Hands worked with tools, and this became the foundation of progress - manual thinking was overcome, and new prospects for the development of intelligence appeared. At the same time, the hands of individuals acquired the features inherent in modern man.
And who is the smartest?
Distracted from the theoretical base, it is worth turning to the works of modern researchers on animals with high intelligence. As the observations and study of the characteristics of the reactions showed, some representatives of the animal world surrounding us are characterized by sufficiently powerful mental abilities. Many of our compatriots from childhood remember the tortoise Tortilla. This animal in our country is associated with wisdom. According to many modern researchers, this attitude has an absolutely logical justification: some species of turtles have good intellectual abilities. These representatives of the animal world can learn, easily find a way out, finding themselves in a maze. It is easy to turn a turtle into a pet, it quickly learns the skills inherent in other individuals of the same species. It is known that turtles are inherent in the ability to quickly overcome fear of humans, so they begin to eat right from the hands.
Studying the intelligence of animals, scientists drew attention to the world of mollusks and found that exceptional opportunities are inherent in cephalopods. Among all their relatives, they are the most intelligent. Many varieties are able to mimic. Octopuses easily pass memorization tests. By nature, they are given excellent navigation abilities. Squids live in packs and, according to scientists, have a special codified language that allows individuals to interact.
So different, but all smart
If the presence of intelligence in domestic animals seems obvious to many, because the representatives of the animal world around us learn quickly and easily, this feature is not so pronounced in insects. And yet, bees, as some believe, have good abilities. They stand out against other insects. It is known that bees are able to navigate through the luminary, perceive the electromagnetic waves of the planet. They remember what they saw. These are social beings interacting with each other through dance.
Studying the intelligence of animals, paid attention to crocodiles. Some time ago, the image of true demons in the flesh was entrenched in these mammals, but relatively recent studies prove that it is erroneous. Representatives of this species are inherent playfulness. In addition, the crocodile can teach a lot. It is known that once such a mammal until death lived in a person who healed him of a wound. The crocodile swam in the pool with the one he recognized as a friend, entered the game, and sometimes even imitated an attack, but not seriously. The owner could pet his pet, kiss, hug.
Curious: what else?
No less attractive are sheep. It is traditionally thought that these are very, very stupid animals, but recent scientific works on this topic show excellent memory for the faces inherent in sheep. These are social individuals who can build relationships. A key feature of this species is the tendency to be afraid of everything. At the same time, sheep try to hide their weaknesses and try to hide any diseases. In this aspect, their behavior is comparable to that of a person.
Quite interesting are the pigeons. The use of these birds for mail delivery has been known for quite some time. It was invented, because these birds have a natural instinct of striving home. From domestic history, we know that Princess Olga was well aware of this quality of birds and used it to achieve her political goals. The pigeon brain is able to process a large information volume and save it for a long time. The pigeon receives information through all the senses. His visual system is such that all useless is cut off, while his eyesight is sharp, goes well with an impeccable memory. , .
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Raccoons are very curious, often living near a human house. In recent years, they have attracted public attention. These animals are very smart. Aiming for food, they are able to use improvised tools, build logical sequential chains. The raccoon remembers the solution of the problem for an average of three years.