Do animals think??

Do animals think and if so on what level. do they understand that they are going to die. do any animals have a language that they speak. I know that dolphins comunicate but would it be considered a language or just a form of conveying theire emotion on a subject like " Fear " if a preditor is near, etc. I can tell that my dog is having vivid dreams and sometimes is having nightmares. her hole body shakes and it looks like she is running in her sleep. she will wimper and sometimes start barking in her sleep. If an ape where to be given "geneticaly" a larger brain, say bigger than a humans would they become able to speak and do everything a human does, have the same awarness of a soul. What would this say about conciousnes and the thought of a soul. do animals have souls?

Many animals are more smart then us, Owls are amoung the smartest, around, same with my dog, it shakes and goes crazy when she is sleeping, the vet told us that dogs do have dreams just like us, take a Phycology class, its pretty cool what ya learn in there

yes animals do think. Most do not think on the same level that we do but a few do, like dolphins. The only thing that separates us from them, other than the obvious features, is our development of highly advanced motor skills. I doubt that they know when they are going to die, because i really dont think that they know what dying really is, unless they have witnessed it firsthand. I think you're on the money bout them just communicating through emotion. I know that all of my dogs think, except for my golden retriever, because she is a dumbass...lol.

One more thing, putting a a larger brain in an ape wont make it smarter. A gorilla's brain is larger than ours (i believe). Also, Neaderthols' brains were much larger than ours, and they werent really smart. But i get what your saying though, if we could make them smarter then i guess it would be something like planet of the apes, except without the accents.

Chicago guy that is soo true

Monkies know what death is. In zoos, whenever a monky dies, they other monkies will let it lay there and they will go stand by it for a while looking all emotional as if they acknowledged the monky's death.

A gorilla was trained to speak in silent language, not talking about the movie Congo, but in real life. The gorilla is in one of the Guinnes record books as like the most advanced monky or something..the gorilla even (in silent language) said he/she was honored to be in the book, and he/she even took a picture of himself/herself for the book.

Humans think, and WE'RE animals so other animals think too, some smarter than others. Gorillas and other animals are smart while some animals, like cows, are so dumb that they sometimes forget to breath (j/k)

Each animal can do SOMETHING that a human can't, EVERY animal. Every animal (including humans) has a weapon fo some type, humans get brains. :)

Monkies know what death is. In zoos, whenever a monky dies, they other monkies will let it lay there and they will go stand by it for a while looking all emotional as if they acknowledged the monky's death.

A gorilla was trained to speak in silent language, not talking about the movie Congo, but in real life. The gorilla is in one of the Guinnes record books as like the most advanced monky or something..the gorilla even (in silent language) said he/she was honored to be in the book, and he/she even took a picture of himself/herself for the book.
I think that was cocoa. she was a baby gorilla raised in captivity but in more of home environment, not a cage. they gave her a baby kitten and she learned(or acted instinctually) to love and care for it. when the kitten aged and eventually died(due the difference in how monkeys and cats age) she signed and that she was sad, and made reference to it or days. not only do animals think but they have feelings. . it's kinda like terminator, just cuz they don't have the physiacl capability to cry doesn't mean they aren't heartbroken. it definitely shows an intelligence that goes unappreciated in animals.

They say a dolphins brain in a humans body would be capable of more than a human can do. makes you think.

yes animals do think, and just because dolphins cant talk such complex languages doesnt mean their stupid, it means their mouths arnt shaped like ours. even birds have emotion, my bird acted really sad when the other bird died

pushin' a rock, pushin' a rock, pushin' a rock, pushin' a rock, pushin' a rock, pushin' a rock, pushin' a rock...........

yes animals do think, and just because dolphins cant talk such complex languages doesnt mean their stupid, it means their mouths arnt shaped like ours. even birds have emotion, my bird acted really sad when the other bird died


"it means their mouths arnt shaped like ours."

lmfao, wow. and they can't poop either, cause their buttholes are square.

hey, my butthole is square, i can poop!

hey, my butthole is square, i can poop!

Now how in the hell would you know that your asshole is square?!...lol

square poops?


my dog is really intelligent. she understands pretty much everything. ive been training her since she was 5 weeks old. now she knows how to sit, shake, stand up, roll, stay, drop, heal, come, GET HIM, wheres the ball/stick/object, no and yes. in English and Polish :d but its not jsut the language, its also the tone of your voice of usual. i can stand there and say "sit" in either languages, but different tone of voice and shell do it. if i try to trick her and say "shit" instead of "sit" she wont do it.

prolly one of the most intelligent animals ive ever seen. when im sad, ill let her in my room and shell sleep no my bed untill i fall asleep and then gets up and goes to the cough in my room n sleeps there. sometimes i wake up from her getting up but she comes back when i do, its odd.

i can have a normal conversation to her and say stupis shit like "did you enjoy the beach?" shell wag her tail and sit closer.. or if im really pissed with her, ill say " what the hell was that?" shell try to appologise by lowering herself to the ground and slowly crawling up to me and tryin gto give me a hand shake :D

she hates the cat tho. she will get out of its way. everytime i go to open the back door for Sonia and the cat's in the way, shell jump over the two couches to get to the front door lol

yes. animals do think, and they have personalities too

First, back to giving a gorilla a larger brain, you don't have to. All you have to do is get him to use a larger percentage of his brain than we do. We only use a small portion. I don't know if studies have ever been done to show how much of their brain a gorilla uses, but I'm sure they have.

Second, I live in Kentucky in a rural area, and growing up I've heard farmers say that the smartest animal they've ever seen is a pig! They say they've never been able to to build a fence or pen that a pig hasn't managed to find a way out of.

I dunno, that's just what they say. Everyone knows their brains are sun-baked anyways.

First, back to giving a gorilla a larger brain, you don't have to. All you have to do is get him to use a larger percentage of his brain than we do. We only use a small portion. I don't know if studies have ever been done to show how much of their brain a gorilla uses, but I'm sure they have.

Second, I live in Kentucky in a rural area, and growing up I've heard farmers say that the smartest animal they've ever seen is a pig! They say they've never been able to to build a fence or pen that a pig hasn't managed to find a way out of.

I dunno, that's just what they say. Everyone knows their brains are sun-baked anyways.

Those farmers are absolutely right. I forgot to mention this previously but pigs are right up there with dolphins. They have the IQ of what I believe is to be a 5-6 yr old child.

yes animals do think. Most do not think on the same level that we do but a few do, like dolphins. The only thing that separates us from them, other than the obvious features, is our development of highly advanced motor skills. I doubt that they know when they are going to die, because i really dont think that they know what dying really is, unless they have witnessed it firsthand. I think you're on the money bout them just communicating through emotion. I know that all of my dogs think, except for my golden retriever, because she is a dumbass...lol.


I agree with you on that our motor skills are advanced. However, I don't believe that it is the ONLY thing that separates us. You've got to consider the presence of a "conscience", of knowing right from wrong, good from sin (although it is arguable as to whether this really makes us "advanced, or just stupid because we complicate things...).

If you're going to talk about conscience, then we must talk about the presence of a "soul". Christian thought on this subject, both Catholic and Protestant, is that animals do NOT have a soul, and are therefor just living bodies with nothing waiting for them after death. What do you guys think about this? Also, if you know of a religion that disagrees with this, or has different thoughts, please post!

Finally, I believe that animals DO know what death is, but it is just a fact of life, inescapable. Which it IS! Once again, it is our human complexity that gives us a fear of death. I've lived on a farm my whole life, and when animals get old and close to death, I think that you can see in their eyes the understanding that their time is near. They know they're dying. And to know that they're "doing" something, they have to know what that something is.

I also believe that animals have a sense of sacrifice, that they are willing to give their lives for you, especially dogs.

What do you guys think?

Yes, and dolphins and killer whales are capable of doing some evil things, like killing each other out of spite, or torturing other animals. makes ya wonder.

i like to wander

i like to wander

I thought that you'd prefer to waltz, Aussie! :aus:





Just playin'. :smooch:

I thought that you'd prefer to waltz, Aussie! :aus:





Just playin'. :smooch:

lol ya reckon!

:screwy:

lol ya reckon!

:screwy:

I know what you're thinkin'. I'm just an American capitalist bastard, right?

Well, maybe I am.

But I've seen all the Mad Max movies! HA!

:lol2: :rofl: :lol2: :rofl: :lol2:

:screwy: 's right. I really need help...




















:1zhelp:

But to keep the thread on topic, I wonder if kangaroos think.

But to keep the thread on topic, I wonder if kangaroos think.

:eek: i dont know??
well... from what i experienced? i mean i went to the zoo once to pet one, and he showed me his pink thingie.. and it scared me?

mm koalas are the same.. i held one, and he wouldnt let go of my shirt? it hurt..

nah they do think. i mean, i dont know. koalas are alywas tired n sleepy fmor all the eucalyptus shit they eat, and the kangaroos run around being horny and smell really.. strange. i , dont think they really have much to think about.


oh yea, and get some help :grinno:

i went to the zoo once to pet one, and he showed me his pink thingie...

Why do you hafta lie to me? The ZOO?! I know you've got these things runnin' around your back yard!! You're in Australia for cryin' out loud. I've seen all the Crocodile Dundee's! AND about 5 minutes of the Crocodile Hunter!

Also, I wonder what you must do to get a kangaroo to flash you. Unless they're naturally perverts, which implies that they DO think, and they think very dirty thoughts.



oh yea, and get some help :grinno:
I'm a licensed therapist. And lawyer. And doctor. And quantum physics instructor.

The internet is a wonderful place. I have all SORTS of degrees! :jump3:

And I'm not just talkin' about lying to people, either. I've found places where you can print off degrees in your name... :nono:

Why do you hafta lie to me? The ZOO?! I know you've got these things runnin' around your back yard!! You're in Australia for cryin' out loud. I've seen all the Crocodile Dundee's! AND about 5 minutes of the Crocodile Hunter!

Also, I wonder what you must do to get a kangaroo to flash you. Unless they're naturally perverts, which implies that they DO think, and they think very dirty thoughts.



I'm a licensed therapist. And lawyer. And doctor. And quantum physics instructor.

The internet is a wonderful place. I have all SORTS of degrees! :jump3:

And I'm not just talkin' about lying to people, either. I've found places where you can print off degrees in your name... :nono:

:eek: backyard? HAH! you wish. no no.. i wish.

-.- no. we dont have them in the back yard thanx. :rolleyes:


okay maybe u are a licensed therapist, doctor.. eh u name it. but that doesnt mean that you havta be a smart ass :D

I've found places where you can print off degrees in your name...

im not skilled enough , like you, to be able to understand that acutally..

"Maybe the dingo ate your baby..."

I miss Seinfeld.


Anyways, back to the topic. If humans can experience the universal emotions of fear, anger, disgust, happiness, sadness, and surprise, then so can mammals. The real puzzle is: does an animal think about its state of fear? Does it have not just a mind but a theory of mind (ie can it put itself in another animal's shoes)? Does it have a sense of its own identity?

All animals communicate, but only humans have language. Dogs show a remarkable capacity to guess human intentions correctly. But then dogs have lived intimately with humans for 15,000 years.

Some people say that you can't compare human intelligence to that of other species, but others argue that you can, if you remember that each species has adapted to its environment and developed problem-solving skills.

So let me ask a more IN-DEPTH question. We will assume animals think, because all animals can adapt, even though this adaptation run through several generations will turn into "instinct". My question is, if animals think, do they think like us? Can the animal plan and understand a sequence of events that will lead to a specific outcome? Can it think of things that are not in the here and now?

What do you guys think (if you're still paying attention to this post...)?

Gee look at that, your question has been answered.

Gee look at that, your question has been answered.
Be nice. :p

Be nice. :p

i am nice. :iceslolan

So far, anyways. I wonder what that kitten in your picture is thinking? Of suicide, maybe?

well my dog definetley gets sad when people leave. Just because she can't make tears doesn't mean she can't cry.

So far, anyways. I wonder what that kitten in your picture is thinking? Of suicide, maybe?

haha its thinking " youre a dumbass because u said you were online on icq when u wernt"

... -cough-

I think that what sperates us from animals is we know we are thinking, and we can have long conversations on the internet about animals thinking. And animals can plan stuff out and have complex emotions but i dont think they have some kind of thinking processes to cope with emotions.

Whoa, whos gonna read that when the KFC cat is so much more interesting?

That's a good post, Mike.

That's a good post, Mike.

BTW, that cat is a product of a weird, twisted, perverted mind...the goofy girl thinks her eyes are motors for cryin' out loud.

Youre smart.

Many animals are more smart then us, Owls are amoung the smartest, around, same with my dog, it shakes and goes crazy when she is sleeping, the vet told us that dogs do have dreams just like us, take a Phycology class, its pretty cool what ya learn in there

I'm sorry, I have to correct this one. Owls are birds. Birds are dumb. It is a very common misconception, because the owl's archetypal pattern is generally going to be "wise." Dogs are smart, smarter than cats, but pigs are smarter. Horses too are extremely dumb.

Of course animals think. Dolphins and whales are I believe about on par with humans, intellegence-wise. That's why I think it's so awful when people kill them. They know exactly what's going to happen. :disappoin

I'm sorry, I have to correct this one. Owls are birds. Birds are dumb.

hahahaha i cracked my shit up as soon as i read that.
oh damn. no no its acutally true tho, but such detail!

But to keep the thread on topic, I wonder if kangaroos think.

Yeah, they think, oooooh, thats shiny car, I might hop away then run back and slam into it. Dumb arses.
And hell, Sezz, what r u doing, having out natives flash their "pink thingies" at you?

Yeah, they think, oooooh, thats shiny car, I might hop away then run back and slam into it. Dumb arses.
And hell, Sezz, what r u doing, having out natives flash their "pink thingies" at you?

lol at the zoo mate. at the zoo.

I'm sorry, I have to correct this one. Owls are birds. Birds are dumb. It is a very common misconception, because the owl's archetypal pattern is generally going to be "wise." Dogs are smart, smarter than cats, but pigs are smarter. Horses too are extremely dumb.

Of course animals think. Dolphins and whales are I believe about on par with humans, intellegence-wise. That's why I think it's so awful when people kill them. They know exactly what's going to happen. :disappoin

Actaully, a lot of birds are VERY smart. I saw one parrot that could recognize objects esaily, and if it knew the word for it, it would squwawk it out.

I think that people have a hard time understanding that higher animals do think, because they can't communicate in OUR language, because they don't have the physical capability to MAKE stuff, or show off their imagination. I wish my dog could talk.. I bet she'd have a lot to say.

I dare say there are people pets reading some of the posts on here thinking, damn solomon just isn't too bright is he....