Reviews from Amazon

Wild Minds

When we see the behaviour of an animal, for instance an ant returning to its nest, we naturally tend to interpret it in terms of human behaviour. But how valid is this interpretation - can we say that animals think in the same way as humans? That is the question addressed by this book. Each chapter looks at an aspect of mind, such as self-awareness and explains what research has been done to study this aspect in animals. Thus our intuitive view of animal thought processes is critically examined via scientific studies. The book is well written, and will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in the behaviour of animals.

Animal studies such as these can also tell us about ourselves. For instance studies of number sense can also be applied to babies, and so indicate whether such a sense is learned or intrinsic. Hauser treats claims that animals experience the same mental processes as humans with justifiable caution. However, sometimes he seems to take this a bit far, for instance in saying that to describe something as a punishment both the punisher and the recipient need to know what it is for - even in humans this is often not the case.

Amazon.com info

Paperback 336 pages
ISBN: 080505670X
Salesrank: 227266
Weight:0.7 lbs

Published: 2001 Holt Paperbacks

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Paperback 416 pages
ISBN: 0141007184
Salesrank: 744256
Weight:0.6 lbs

Published: 2002 Penguin Books Ltd

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Amazon.ca info

Paperback 336 pages
ISBN: 080505670X
Salesrank: 397641
Weight:0.7 lbs

Published: 2001 Owl

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Product Description
Do animals think? Can they count? Do they have emotions? Do they feel anger, frustration, hurt, or sorrow? At last, here is a book that provides authoritative answers to these long-standing questions. Most popular science books t to misrepresent animals, presenting them either as furry little humans or as creatures that cannot feel at all. Marc D. Hauser, an acclaimed scientist in the field of animal cognition, uses insights from evolutionary theory and cognitive science to examine animal thought without such biases or preconceptions. Hauser treats animals neither as machines devoid of feeling nor as extensions of humans, but as independent beings driven by their own complex impulses. In prose that is both elegant and edifying, Hauser describes his groundbreaking research in the field, leading his readers on what David Premack, author of The Mind of an Ape, calls "a masterful tour of the animal mind."

Product Description

Do animals think? Can they count? Do they have emotions? Do they feel anger, frustration, hurt, or sorrow? At last, here is a book that provides authoritative answers to these long-standing questions. Most popular science books t to misrepresent animals, presenting them either as furry little humans or as creatures that cannot feel at all. Marc D. Hauser, an acclaimed scientist in the field of animal cognition, uses insights from evolutionary theory and cognitive science to examine animal thought without such biases or preconceptions. Hauser treats animals neither as machines devoid of feeling nor as extensions of humans, but as independent beings driven by their own complex impulses. In prose that is both elegant and edifying, Hauser describes his groundbreaking research in the field, leading his readers on what David Premack, author of The Mind of an Ape, calls "a masterful tour of the animal mind."

Tons of Experiments on nonhuman animals and infants ****
This book is very nice to read. It discusses a myriad of experiments conducted on nonhuman animals, mainly chimpanzees, but also pigeons, insects, rats, among other animals. Each chapter discusses a different topic: math cognition, spatial reasoning, morality in aniamls, self-awareness, among others. One little thing I did not like about this book is that Dr. Hauser is overcritical of almost all experiments, even though those very arguments can be said about his own experiments! The book overall provides a lot of information about animal behavior--and mind.

Tons of Experiments on nonhuman animals and infants ****

This book is very nice to read. It discusses a myriad of experiments conducted on nonhuman animals, mainly chimpanzees, but also pigeons, insects, rats, among other animals. Each chapter discusses a different topic: math cognition, spatial reasoning, morality in aniamls, self-awareness, among others. One little thing I did not like about this book is that Dr. Hauser is overcritical of almost all experiments, even though those very arguments can be said about his own experiments! The book overall provides a lot of information about animal behavior--and mind.

Shaping minds *****
Studies of human cognition inevitably raise the question: "Are other animals 'conscious'?". This immediately leads to a more perplexing question: "What is consciousness?". With the concept still but vaguely defined in human terms, asking it of the other animals evokes a host of difficulties. Hauser, to his credit, makes a worthwhile attempt to deal with both questions. In this sweeping survey, he declares that simplistic approaches to how the various primates deal with life are misplaced. There is a range of animal awareness out there, shaped by the forces of natural selection. Each species must be studied carefully and intensively, both in controlled and wild conditions. And the work, he insists, has barely started. He combines his field experience with the work of many researchers in revealing facets of consciousness. Hauser's study was stimulated by a young monkey giving him a hug. He calls these elements "mental tool kits". By this he explains that similar conditions generate similar responses in the animal. This suggests there are probably areas in the brain common across many species. When conditions change, however, the response may vary wildly, indicating dissimilarity in capacity. A startling contrast is the range of food storage sites among different species. A dog may bury a bone in the garden, but a Clark's Nutcracker can stash up to thirty thousand seeds in six thousand locations - and find most of them the following Spring. Hauser calls this ability "cognitive mapping" - a special talent derived over long evolutionary time. Other animals have the role of "space travelers", although Clark's must hold some kind of record. "Self-awareness" is an all-encompassing term. In the largest and most significant part of the book, Hauser dodges the vague, but common, phrase, replacing it with "self-recognition". This term is a more measurable aspect of cognition. Experiments with mirrors demonstrate that some primates know who they're looking at, while others see intruders or remain indifferent. Strangely, some birds seem to recognise themselves in reflected images. Expressing self-awareness means communicating. For us, that's done with speech or writing. With other creatures, other forms of expression must be inferred from observation. Deception is a commonly used test. An animal aware of itself, and aware of others as well, is likely to derive the other's intent. When another's intention can be directed, and the deceiver gains from that guiding, individuality seems enhanced. How far we can take such analyses is one of Hauser's calls for more research. Language and thought are far too closely aligned in the minds of most researchers, Hauser believes. That link restricts "real" thoughts to those that can express them in words - in short, only humans. Hauser counters that thought is something we can interpret from actions - and the greater the variance in action, the better. He looks back at our evolutionary beginnings through the eyes of today's primates. Thought, he argues was there - language was a gloss that came later. The implication is that researchers need to try fresh approaches to studying how "wild minds" can be better understood. The result is the growth of a new discipline, cognitive ethology which encompasses a wide range of species who have, or might possess, thoughts we can identify. This book is a major step in furthering that new field. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Shaping minds *****

Studies of human cognition inevitably raise the question: "Are other animals 'conscious'?". This immediately leads to a more perplexing question: "What is consciousness?". With the concept still but vaguely defined in human terms, asking it of the other animals evokes a host of difficulties. Hauser, to his credit, makes a worthwhile attempt to deal with both questions. In this sweeping survey, he declares that simplistic approaches to how the various primates deal with life are misplaced. There is a range of animal awareness out there, shaped by the forces of natural selection. Each species must be studied carefully and intensively, both in controlled and wild conditions. And the work, he insists, has barely started.

He combines his field experience with the work of many researchers in revealing facets of consciousness. Hauser's study was stimulated by a young monkey giving him a hug. He calls these elements "mental tool kits". By this he explains that similar conditions generate similar responses in the animal. This suggests there are probably areas in the brain common across many species. When conditions change, however, the response may vary wildly, indicating dissimilarity in capacity. A startling contrast is the range of food storage sites among different species. A dog may bury a bone in the garden, but a Clark's Nutcracker can stash up to thirty thousand seeds in six thousand locations - and find most of them the following Spring. Hauser calls this ability "cognitive mapping" - a special talent derived over long evolutionary time. Other animals have the role of "space travelers", although Clark's must hold some kind of record.

"Self-awareness" is an all-encompassing term. In the largest and most significant part of the book, Hauser dodges the vague, but common, phrase, replacing it with "self-recognition". This term is a more measurable aspect of cognition. Experiments with mirrors demonstrate that some primates know who they're looking at, while others see intruders or remain indifferent. Strangely, some birds seem to recognise themselves in reflected images. Expressing self-awareness means communicating. For us, that's done with speech or writing. With other creatures, other forms of expression must be inferred from observation. Deception is a commonly used test. An animal aware of itself, and aware of others as well, is likely to derive the other's intent. When another's intention can be directed, and the deceiver gains from that guiding, individuality seems enhanced. How far we can take such analyses is one of Hauser's calls for more research.

Language and thought are far too closely aligned in the minds of most researchers, Hauser believes. That link restricts "real" thoughts to those that can express them in words - in short, only humans. Hauser counters that thought is something we can interpret from actions - and the greater the variance in action, the better. He looks back at our evolutionary beginnings through the eyes of today's primates. Thought, he argues was there - language was a gloss that came later. The implication is that researchers need to try fresh approaches to studying how "wild minds" can be better understood. The result is the growth of a new discipline, cognitive ethology which encompasses a wide range of species who have, or might possess, thoughts we can identify. This book is a major step in furthering that new field. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Not definitive. ***
This is a report of ongoing studies, by many in different fields, of whether animals experience "moral emotions, feelings such as guilt, shame and embarrassment", if they're capable of inhibiting their own desires, if they "understand the impact of their" decisions, etc. I'm not sure how objective Mr. Hauser is however as, to me, he seems determined to have his opinion prevail as I can't recall one study he's accepted as valid. I'm sorry too that the studies are not definitive.

Not definitive. ***

This is a report of ongoing studies, by many in different fields, of whether animals experience "moral emotions, feelings such as guilt, shame and embarrassment", if they're capable of inhibiting their own desires, if they "understand the impact of their" decisions, etc. I'm not sure how objective Mr. Hauser is however as, to me, he seems determined to have his opinion prevail as I can't recall one study he's accepted as valid. I'm sorry too that the studies are not definitive.

too much "we'll never really know" ***
His style is a little flat: a scientist writing for popular audience and trying really hard not to talk down. But he organizes the subject really well and clearly, with chapters on tools, numbers, spatial navegation, sense of self, language, moral reasoning. Each one synthesizes a large amount of scientific research on both animals and children, with interesting anecdotes. The preface makes it clear he's writing against sentimental popular books on the subject that treat animal as being like humans inside, and themselves attack "the scientists." But this book gives a dreary image of the scientists. Each chapter describes some amazing abilities of different animals, describes some exhausting, repetitive experiments to document (it often seems) a small part of what was already suspected, and then concludes that as to the most important part -- "what animals really think" -- science doesn't know. But (drearily), they probably aren't conscious. He should be clearer than he is in summarizing what the experiments have shown, and in particular about the differences in cognitive performance (not "real thought") btw adult and infant humans, primates (his main interest), birds (who get less attention), rats (still less), and social insects (who make a few star turns).

too much "we'll never really know" ***

His style is a little flat: a scientist writing for popular audience and trying really hard not to talk down. But he organizes the subject really well and clearly, with chapters on tools, numbers, spatial navegation, sense of self, language, moral reasoning. Each one synthesizes a large amount of scientific research on both animals and children, with interesting anecdotes.

The preface makes it clear he's writing against sentimental popular books on the subject that treat animal as being like humans inside, and themselves attack "the scientists." But this book gives a dreary image of the scientists. Each chapter describes some amazing abilities of different animals, describes some exhausting, repetitive experiments to document (it often seems) a small part of what was already suspected, and then concludes that as to the most important part -- "what animals really think" -- science doesn't know. But (drearily), they probably aren't conscious.

He should be clearer than he is in summarizing what the experiments have shown, and in particular about the differences in cognitive performance (not "real thought") btw adult and infant humans, primates (his main interest), birds (who get less attention), rats (still less), and social insects (who make a few star turns).

Subtitle should be how animals and human minds differ *****
Hauser has written a remarkably accessible introduction to comparative psychology. While containing the main points one might expect in a textbook outline, he does an excellent job of presenting this information in an interesting narrative form. Hauser begins with an introductory chapter that presents his basic approach and cautions against anthropomorphisms. Chapters two through four comprise a unit that focuses on those mental capacities shared by animals and human beings. Both can identify objects and predict their movement. Both can distinguish quantity. Both can navigate through space. Perhaps it takes a course in cognitive psychology to appreciate these commonalities, but I believe that Hauser does an excellent job of presenting research results for lay consumption. His presentation of animal and human infant studies of the expectancy-violation principle is alone worth the cost of the book. The second section, chapters five through seven, focus on mental capacities which seem to be qualitatively common in animals and humans, but quantitatively distinct. Hauser presents a well-balanced account of the evidence for self-awareness, teaching, and deception among animals. The final section contains two chapters on mental capacities that appear to be almost unique to human beings - language and morality. Hauser's careful review of animal communication is amazing, as is his locus of morality in the ability to inhibit selfish tendencies to maintain social conventions. I recommend this book without reservation. No reader will regret spending time with this book. It is quite stimulating.

Subtitle should be how animals and human minds differ *****

Hauser has written a remarkably accessible introduction to comparative psychology. While containing the main points one might expect in a textbook outline, he does an excellent job of presenting this information in an interesting narrative form.

Hauser begins with an introductory chapter that presents his basic approach and cautions against anthropomorphisms.

Chapters two through four comprise a unit that focuses on those mental capacities shared by animals and human beings. Both can identify objects and predict their movement. Both can distinguish quantity. Both can navigate through space. Perhaps it takes a course in cognitive psychology to appreciate these commonalities, but I believe that Hauser does an excellent job of presenting research results for lay consumption. His presentation of animal and human infant studies of the expectancy-violation principle is alone worth the cost of the book.

The second section, chapters five through seven, focus on mental capacities which seem to be qualitatively common in animals and humans, but quantitatively distinct. Hauser presents a well-balanced account of the evidence for self-awareness, teaching, and deception among animals.

The final section contains two chapters on mental capacities that appear to be almost unique to human beings - language and morality. Hauser's careful review of animal communication is amazing, as is his locus of morality in the ability to inhibit selfish tendencies to maintain social conventions.

I recommend this book without reservation. No reader will regret spending time with this book. It is quite stimulating.

Wild Minds: An insight into the Animal Kingdom *****
This is really great for light reading if you own pets yourself or you are a interested in how the animal mind compares to our own. You don't need to have a high understanding of science terminology to enjoy this fascinating insight into the world of animals and how they might view us.

Wild Minds: An insight into the Animal Kingdom *****

This is really great for light reading if you own pets yourself or you are a interested in how the animal mind compares to our own. You don't need to have a high understanding of science terminology to enjoy this fascinating insight into the world of animals and how they might view us.

An Excellent Insight into the Minds of Animals *****
“We share the planet with thinking animals. Each species with its uniquely sculpted mind, endowed by nature and shaped by evolution is capable of meeting the most fundamental challenges that the physical and psychological world presents. Although the human mind leaves a characteristically different imprint on the planet, we are certainly not alone in this process” This is the conclusion that Marc Hauser reached at the end of his book: Wild Minds, what animals really think. The book in it’s essence is comprised of three main parts: Universal knowledge (Part I), Nature’s Psychologists (Part II) and Minds in Society (Part III), each of which are divided into further categories. From the outset at least, this gives the text a ‘reference book’ appearance and feel, though on completion of the book it did feel more like you had just completed a general reading book. Throughout, Hauser cites many theories and studies that are performed on a variety of different animals. From Elephants to Chimps to Desert Ants, the reader is given a wide spectrum of examples. These examples are shown alongside human development allowing for a comparison of abilities to be shown. One of the most favourable things I found throughout the chapters in this book was the clever use of humour. For example, in chapter 5 when trying to ascertain whether Cotton-top Tamarins had self-recognition, Hauser describes how tempting their Punk white hair was. He then details how he and his colleagues used manic panic hair dye in flamingo pink, lagoon blue and apple green to see if the tamarins would recognise themselves in a mirror. This image cannot help but make you smile. A further example to this comes from the use of the Flintstones characters Fred and Barney to illustrate reciprocal altruism and the character Z from the Disney animation Antz to illustrate population rules and behaviour. The use of these cartoon characters provides the text with a light hearted feel, and prevents the reader from becoming lost in scientific knowledge, as can too often happen with factual books. The text is written in a way that does not require any current knowledge of the subject of Animal Psychology. Hauser provides background to the topics before entering into theoretical and research explanations. Anyone with an interest in animal development and behaviour should enjoy this read. This is not to say that the book is simple. Readers with current knowledge will also take enjoyment from reading this book. After reading this book, the question of what animals really think is not wholly answered. Whilst you are given a wide ranging view of the actions and behaviours of many animals Hauser consistently closes topics with question after question. However, this could simply be a reflection of what we in fact know. As Hauser himself points out, questioning ‘What it is like to be an X’ cannot be answered by science, as science relies on objective criteria and empirical evidence. Whilst you can describe what an animal does, and make assumptions as to why, you cannot with any certainty say what they are thinking and sensing. These questions therefore serve to enhance your curiosity making you want more information on the subject. Overall this is both an informative and enjoyable read. With reference to the quote made by Hauser printed at the start of this review, the book has left this same view in my mind. It is clear that on this planet we are accompanied by a wealth of intelligent thinking animals that operate in a manner of different ways to meet the challenges of the physical and psychological world that they encounter!

An Excellent Insight into the Minds of Animals *****

“We share the planet with thinking animals. Each species with its uniquely sculpted mind, endowed by nature and shaped by evolution is capable of meeting the most fundamental challenges that the physical and psychological world presents. Although the human mind leaves a characteristically different imprint on the planet, we are certainly not alone in this process”

This is the conclusion that Marc Hauser reached at the end of his book: Wild Minds, what animals really think.

The book in it’s essence is comprised of three main parts: Universal knowledge (Part I), Nature’s Psychologists (Part II) and Minds in Society (Part III), each of which are divided into further categories. From the outset at least, this gives the text a ‘reference book’ appearance and feel, though on completion of the book it did feel more like you had just completed a general reading book.

Throughout, Hauser cites many theories and studies that are performed on a variety of different animals. From Elephants to Chimps to Desert Ants, the reader is given a wide spectrum of examples. These examples are shown alongside human development allowing for a comparison of abilities to be shown.

One of the most favourable things I found throughout the chapters in this book was the clever use of humour. For example, in chapter 5 when trying to ascertain whether Cotton-top Tamarins had self-recognition, Hauser describes how tempting their Punk white hair was. He then details how he and his colleagues used manic panic hair dye in flamingo pink, lagoon blue and apple green to see if the tamarins would recognise themselves in a mirror. This image cannot help but make you smile.

A further example to this comes from the use of the Flintstones characters Fred and Barney to illustrate reciprocal altruism and the character Z from the Disney animation Antz to illustrate population rules and behaviour. The use of these cartoon characters provides the text with a light hearted feel, and prevents the reader from becoming lost in scientific knowledge, as can too often happen with factual books.

The text is written in a way that does not require any current knowledge of the subject of Animal Psychology. Hauser provides background to the topics before entering into theoretical and research explanations. Anyone with an interest in animal development and behaviour should enjoy this read. This is not to say that the book is simple. Readers with current knowledge will also take enjoyment from reading this book.

After reading this book, the question of what animals really think is not wholly answered. Whilst you are given a wide ranging view of the actions and behaviours of many animals Hauser consistently closes topics with question after question. However, this could simply be a reflection of what we in fact know. As Hauser himself points out, questioning ‘What it is like to be an X’ cannot be answered by science, as science relies on objective criteria and empirical evidence. Whilst you can describe what an animal does, and make assumptions as to why, you cannot with any certainty say what they are thinking and sensing. These questions therefore serve to enhance your curiosity making you want more information on the subject.

Overall this is both an informative and enjoyable read. With reference to the quote made by Hauser printed at the start of this review, the book has left this same view in my mind. It is clear that on this planet we are accompanied by a wealth of intelligent thinking animals that operate in a manner of different ways to meet the challenges of the physical and psychological world that they encounter!

Good wider reading for A level psychologists ****
immensely enjoyed this book which was set out in a very easily readable format with subsections clearly headed, adn often intrigueingly titled! I am studying A level psychology and hope to go on to do a degree at Oxford in Experimental Psychology so I have been advised to read as widely as possible and this is by far the most accessible book I have read. It expanded the knowledge I had gained about animal behaviour and cognitive processes and proved an interesting extension with regards to the actual experiments that have been carried out to test animal's cognitive abilities. The only difficulties I had with this book were actually visualising some of the experiments but with a little lateral thinking (and occasionally a pad of paper and pen!) I managed to work it out. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in psychology. I enjoyed it a lot!

Good wider reading for A level psychologists ****

immensely enjoyed this book which was set out in a very easily readable format with subsections clearly headed, adn often intrigueingly titled! I am studying A level psychology and hope to go on to do a degree at Oxford in Experimental Psychology so I have been advised to read as widely as possible and this is by far the most accessible book I have read. It expanded the knowledge I had gained about animal behaviour and cognitive processes and proved an interesting extension with regards to the actual experiments that have been carried out to test animal's cognitive abilities. The only difficulties I had with this book were actually visualising some of the experiments but with a little lateral thinking (and occasionally a pad of paper and pen!) I managed to work it out.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in psychology. I enjoyed it a lot!

Shaping neuron nets ****
Studies of human cognition inevitably raise the question: "Are other animals 'conscious'?". This immediately leads to a more perplexing question: "What is consciousness?". With the concept still but vaguely defined in human terms, asking it of the other animals evokes a host of difficulties. Hauser, to his credit, makes a worthwhile attempt to deal with both questions. In this sweeping survey, he declares that simplistic approaches to how the various primates deal with life are misplaced. There is a range of animal awareness out there, shaped by the forces of natural selection. Each species must be studied carefully and intensively, both in controlled and wild conditions. And the work, he insists, has barely started. He combines his field experience with the work of many researchers in revealing facets of consciousness. Hauser's study was stimulated by a young monkey giving him a hug. He calls these elements "mental tool kits". By this he explains that similar conditions generate similar responses in the animal. This suggests there are probably areas in the brain common across many species. When conditions change, however, the response may vary wildly, indicating dissimilarity in capacity. A startling contrast is the range of food storage sites among different species. A dog may bury a bone in the garden, but a Clark's Nutcracker can stash up to thirty thousand seeds in six thousand locations - and find most of them the following Spring. Hauser calls this ability "cognitive mapping" - a special talent derived over long evolutionary time. Other animals have the role of "space travelers", although Clark's must hold some kind of record. "Self-awareness" is an all-encompassing term. In the largest and most significant part of the book, Hauser dodges the vague, but common, phrase, replacing it with "self-recognition". This term is a more measurable aspect of cognition. Experiments with mirrors demonstrate that some primates know who they're looking at, while others see intruders or remain indifferent. Strangely, some birds seem to recognise themselves in reflected images. Expressing self-awareness means communicating. For us, that's done with speech or writing. With other creatures, other forms of expression must be inferred from observation. Deception is a commonly used test. An animal aware of itself, and aware of others as well, is likely to derive the other's intent. When another's intention can be directed, and the deceiver gains from that guiding, individuality seems enhanced. How far we can take such analyses is one of Hauser's calls for more research. Language and thought are far too closely aligned in the minds of most researchers, Hauser believes. That link restricts "real" thoughts to those that can express them in words - in short, only humans. Hauser counters that thought is something we can interpret from actions - and the greater the variance in action, the better. He looks back at our evolutionary beginnings through the eyes of today's primates. Thought, he argues was there - language was a gloss that came later. The implication is that researchers need to try fresh approaches to studying how "wild minds" can be better understood. The result is the growth of a new discipline, cognitive ethology which encompasses a wide range of species who have, or might possess, thoughts we can identify. This book is a major step in furthering that new field. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Shaping neuron nets ****

What Do Animals Really Think? You Won't Find it in this Book ****
As another reader has pointed out, Hauser's subtitle is misleading. He readily admits that scientific studies on the nonhuman animal mind are very incomplete, but based on the limited evidence to this point, rather rashly concludes that they are not on a par with human animal minds (according to him, nonhuman animals are not self-aware and do not feel embarrassment or shame, but like humans three years old or younger, deserve good treatment from us.) In other words, he comes across, like the more enlightened scientists, as a welfarist--treat 'em right, but keep 'em in their place (so we can keep experimenting on them). Hauser is careful not to be condescending to those who may suspect that their dogs or cats or any other animals have more between their ears than we currently understand. In the first chapter he states his case against popular writers like Jeffrey Masson and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, whom he claims commit the "sin" of anthropomorphosis--but it's not a diatribe. If you can get past that clearly stated bias, Hauser's book is an informative if unsatisfying read, because the findings he presents ultimately leave you up in the air about what animals really think.

What Do Animals Really Think? You Won't Find it in this Book ****

As another reader has pointed out, Hauser's subtitle is misleading. He readily admits that scientific studies on the nonhuman animal mind are very incomplete, but based on the limited evidence to this point, rather rashly concludes that they are not on a par with human animal minds (according to him, nonhuman animals are not self-aware and do not feel embarrassment or shame, but like humans three years old or younger, deserve good treatment from us.) In other words, he comes across, like the more enlightened scientists, as a welfarist--treat 'em right, but keep 'em in their place (so we can keep experimenting on them).

Hauser is careful not to be condescending to those who may suspect that their dogs or cats or any other animals have more between their ears than we currently understand. In the first chapter he states his case against popular writers like Jeffrey Masson and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, whom he claims commit the "sin" of anthropomorphosis--but it's not a diatribe. If you can get past that clearly stated bias, Hauser's book is an informative if unsatisfying read, because the findings he presents ultimately leave you up in the air about what animals really think.

Useful but not very clear ***
Hauser is not a good writer. His explanations are often unclear. His arguments are often disorganized. There is a lot of interesting stuff here, and it's a useful antidote to the rampant anthropomorphism of many less scientific books.

Useful but not very clear ***

Hauser is not a good writer. His explanations are often unclear. His arguments are often disorganized. There is a lot of interesting stuff here, and it's a useful antidote to the rampant anthropomorphism of many less scientific books.