#293 Kristin Andrews: Animal Minds, Theory of Mind, And Animal Ethics
RECORDED ON DECEMBER 3rd, 2019.
Dr. Kristin Andrews is York Research Chair in Animal Minds and Professor of Philosophy at York University (Toronto), where she also helps coordinate the Cognitive Science program and the Toronto Area Animal Cognition Discussion Group. Dr. Andrews is on the board of directors of the Borneo Orangutan Society Canada, a member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, and the author of several books on social minds, animal minds, and ethics.
In this episode, we talk about how to properly study animal minds, and also issues regarding animal ethics. We start by discussing how difficult it is to study non-human animals’ behavior and minds, and Dr. Andrews presents the calibration method. We also discuss how we can use folk psychology as a starting point. We talk about the flaws with anthropomorphism and anthropectomy. We then get into the issue of theory of mind, and how to deal with consciousness in animal cognitive studies. Dr. Andrews also refers to recent exciting research that points to the possibility of plants also having consciousness and minds. Finally, we get into animal ethics, and discuss specifically issues related to how we can determine if there are other animals that also are moral agents, and how to study moral normativity in non-human animals. We end up by talking a bit about veganism.
Time Links:
The difficulty with studying other animals’ minds, and the calibration method
Using folk psychology as a starting point
The flaws with anthropomorphism and anthropectomy
Theory of mind in other animals
How to deal with consciousness
Can plants be conscious, and have a mind?
Animal ethics. Can other animals also be moral agents?
Moral normativity in non-human animals
On veganism
Follow Dr. Andrews’ work!
Follow Dr. Andrews’ work:
Faculty page: http://bit.ly/35XXWPp
Personal website: http://bit.ly/331Hbl4
Articles page: http://bit.ly/2YeRzV7
PhilPeople page: http://bit.ly/2RflOdl
ResearchGate profile: http://bit.ly/2LipRSo
Amazon page: https://amzn.to/35QK9Ky
Relevant papers/books:
The Animal Mind: https://amzn.to/2P8ndzx
A Role for Folk Psychology in Animal Cognition Research: http://bit.ly/33Nw9zE
Anthropomorphism, anthropectomy, and the null hypothesis: http://bit.ly/2RgyJMc
Chimpanzee Theory of Mind: Looking in All the Wrong Places?: http://bit.ly/3861gtU
Naïve Normativity: The Social Foundation of Moral Cognition: http://bit.ly/2DHkaJt