The heart of this book is the reciprocal relationship between philosophical theories of mind and empirical studies of animal cognition.
Colin Allen (a philosopher) and Marc Bekoff (a cognitive ethologist) approach their work from a perspective that considers arguments about evolutionary continuity to be as applicable to the study of animal minds and brains as they are to comparative studies of kidneys, stomachs, and hearts. Cognitive ethologists study the comparative, evolutionary, and ecological aspects of the mental phenomena of animals. Philosophy can provide cognitive ethology with an analytical basis for attributing cognition to nonhuman animals and for studying it, and cognitive ethology can help philosophy to explain mentality in naturalistic terms by providing data on the evolution of cognition. This interdiscipinary approach reveals flaws in common objections to the view that animals have minds.
The heart of the book is this reciprocal relationship between philosophical theories of mind and empirical studies of animal cognition. All theoretical discussion is carefully tied to case studies, particularly in the areas of antipredatory vigilance and social play, where there are many points of contact with philosophical discussions of intentionality and representation. Allen and Bekoff make specific suggestions about how to use philosophical theories of intentionality as starting points for empirical investigation of animal minds, and they stress the importance of studying animals other than nonhuman primates.

Species of Mind: The Philosophy and Biology of Cognitive Ethology

Politics & Social Sciences

Allen, Colin

Bekoff, Ph.D. Marc

Philosophy

Bradford Books

What is it like to be a dog, or a chimpanzee, or an ant? How do animals communicate? Why do they play? Can animals feel emotions like empathy and grief? These and many other questions are answered in the Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, the most authoritative, comprehensive, and accessible resource on the scientific study of animal behavior. Contributors consist of an international group of well-respected animal behavior scholars and authorities from many different disciplines, including biology, psychology, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, veterinary medicine, and religious studies. Entries examine a broad array of different species and behavior patterns, using techniques that range from molecular approaches to the study of behavior to analyses of individuals, populations, species, and ecosystems. Informed by the best and most recent scholarship, entries are written with the lay public in mind, and all material is explained in understandable, jargon-free language. This user-friendly resource will appeal to students and scholars of animal behavior, animal advocates, and anyone with a love for animals.
 • Over 200 fascinating entries on topics from Friendship in Animals to Communication Behavior in Singing Birds
• Over 300 photographs, charts, and diagrams that illustrate aspects of animal behavior
• Numerous sidebars on behaviors that help illuminate the more abstract and theoretical concepts
• Entries on the usefulness of animal behavior in such careers as conservation biology and animal-assisted therapy in counseling and in hospitals and hospices

Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior (3 Vol. Set)

Reference

Encyclopedias & Subject Guides

Greenwood

Interpretation And Explanation In The Study Of Animal Behavior

Routledge

Interpretation And Explanation In The Study Of Animal Behavior: Volume I, Interpretation, Intentionality, And Communication

A compelling argument that the time has come to use what we know about the fascinating and diverse inner lives of other animals on their behalf Every day we are learning new and surprising facts about just how intelligent and emotional animals are—did you know rats like to play and laugh, and also display empathy, and the ears and noses of cows tell us how they’re feeling? At times, we humans translate that knowledge into compassion for other animals; think of the public outcry against the fates of Cecil the lion or the captive gorilla Harambe. But on the whole, our growing understanding of what animals feel is not resulting in more respectful treatment of them. Renowned animal-behavior expert Marc Bekoff and leading bioethicist Jessica Pierce explore the real-world experiences of five categories of animals, beginning with those who suffer the greatest deprivations of freedoms and choice—chickens, pigs, and cows in industrial food systems—as well as animals used in testing and research, including mice, rats, cats, dogs, and chimpanzees. Next, Bekoff and Pierce consider animals for whom losses of freedoms are more ambiguous and controversial, namely, individuals held in zoos and aquaria and those kept as companions. Finally, they reveal the unexpected ways in which the freedoms of animals in the wild are constrained by human activities and argue for a more compassionate approach to conservation. In each case, scientific studies combine with stories of individual animals to bring readers face-to-face with the wonder of our fellow beings, as well as the suffering they endure and the major paradigm shift that is needed to truly ensure their well-being. The Animals’ Agenda will educate and inspire people to rethink how we affect other animals, and how we can evolve toward more peaceful and less violent ways of interacting with our animal kin in an increasingly human-dominated world.

The Animals' Agenda: Freedom, Compassion, and Coexistence in the Human Age

Pierce,Jessica

Sociology

Beacon Press

People have long been fascinated, not just by the behaviour of non-human animals, but by the problem of how this behaviour is to be interpreted and explained. This is one of two volumes of original essays on the cognitive and emotional dimensions of non-human minds and the relationship of "natural" minds to behaviour. The essays also address questions concerning the meaning and significance of consciousness; animal intelligence, awareness and emotions; behavioural plasticity, flexibility and constraints on understanding animal minds; and the structure of explanation in the study of behaviour.

Interpretation And Explanation In The Study Of Animal Behavior: Volume I, Interpretation, Intentionality, And Communication (Westview Special Studies)

Jamieson, Dale

Westview Press

People have long been fascinated, not just by the behaviour of non-human animals, but by the problem of how this behaviour is to be interpreted and explained. This is one of two volumes of original essays which explore the cognitive and emotional dimensions of non-human minds and the relationship of "natural" minds to behaviour. The essays also address questions concerning the meaning and significance of consciousness; animal intelligence, awareness and emotions; behavioural plasticity, flexibility and constraints on understanding animal minds; and the structure of explanation in the study of behaviour.

Interpretation And Explanation In The Study Of Animal Behavior: Volume Ii, Explanation, Evolution, And Adaptation (A Westview Special Study)

Based on award-winning scientist Marc Bekoff’s years studying social communication in a wide range of species, this important book shows that animals have rich emotional lives. Bekoff skillfully blends extraordinary stories of animal joy, empathy, grief, embarrassment, anger, and love with the latest scientific research confirming the existence of emotions that common sense and experience have long implied. Filled with Bekoff’s light humor and touching stories, The Emotional Lives of Animals is a clarion call for reassessing both how we view animals and how we treat them.

The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy and Why They Matter

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Pets & Animal Care

New World Library

In this inspirational call to action, Marc Bekoff, the world’s leading expert on animal emotions, gently shows that improving our treatment of animals is a matter of rethinking our many daily decisions and expanding our compassion footprint.” He demonstrates that animals experience a rich range of emotions, including empathy and compassion, and that they clearly know right from wrong. Driven by moral imperatives and pressing environmental realities, Bekoff offers six compelling reasons for changing the way we treat animals — whether they’re in factory farms, labs, circuses, or our vanishing wilderness. The result is a well-researched, informative guide that will change animal and human lives for the better.

The Animal Manifesto: Six Reasons for Expanding Our Compassion Footprint

Sports & Outdoors

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Books by Bekoff, Ph.D. Marc