Anthropology

Judi Lynn

(160,631 posts) Fri Oct 4, 2019, 04:44 AM Oct 2019

Great Apes Have Just Passed A Complex "Theory Of Mind" Test

What separates humans from “the beasts” of nature? One of the few standout features of human intelligence is often argued to be our ability to deeply understand the desires, knowledge, motives, and intents of others. Known as “theory of mind”, this ability allows us to understand and anticipate the thoughts of others, even when they are different or opposed to one’s own.

Many have pushed the idea that humans are the only creatures to possess this complex ability, however, a new study on our closest evolutionary cousins is now shaking this longheld assumption.

Reporting their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an international team of researchers from Kyoto University in Japan, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, and the University of St Andrews in Scotland has demonstrated that other members of the great ape family – including chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans – appear to possess “theory of mind.”

While this is not the first study to argue this, the new research builds on the team's previous work to provide some of the most convincing arguments yet.

More:
https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/great-apes-have-just-passed-a-complex-theory-of-mind-test/

8 replies

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Highlight:

Great Apes Have Just Passed A Complex "Theory Of Mind" Test (Original Post) Judi Lynn Oct 2019 OP

Apes are shown to rely on self-experience to anticipate others' actions Judi Lynn Oct 2019 #1

Definition.... safeinOhio Oct 2019 #2

I've been watching the Borneo orangutan sanctuary on uTube. they sure Lib 4 Life Oct 2019 #3

Perhaps they have continued to evolve ... imagine that NotHardly Oct 2019 #4

The differences are on a continuum Ramsey Barner Oct 2019 #5

All animals, and I mean all GetRidOfThem Oct 2019 #6

I'll bet it's a test that Trump couldn't pass, kyburbonkid Oct 2019 #7

K&R nt lillypaddle Oct 2019 #8

Judi Lynn

(160,631 posts)

1. Apes are shown to rely on self-experience to anticipate others' actions

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 4, 2019, 04:46 AM

Oct 2019

SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

by Kyoto University

As close evolutionary relatives, you could say that great apes and humans look somewhat similar. And the more we learn about our great ape cousins, the more we find that we're alike.

A new study published in PNAS suggests that great apes—including chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans—have a theory of mind, meaning that they can understand others' mental states. A lively debate about whether any nonhuman species possess this ability has spanned decades.

As humans, we use a theory of mind to navigate in society.

Study author Fumihiro Kano of Kyoto University's Kumamoto Sanctuary and Primate Research Institute, together with a team composed of scientists from the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of St Andrews, had previously demonstrated that great apes can anticipate an agent's actions, even when that agent has a false belief about reality. This is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that great apes can understand an agent's theory of mind.

More:
https://phys.org/news/2019-09-apes-shown-self-experience-actions.html

safeinOhio

(32,727 posts)

2. Definition....

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 4, 2019, 04:49 AM

Oct 2019

of paradigm shift. formal. : an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way This discovery will bring about a paradigm shift in our understanding of evolution.

It happens with new information and is the beauty of science.

Lib 4 Life

(97 posts)

3. I've been watching the Borneo orangutan sanctuary on uTube. they sure

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 4, 2019, 05:58 AM

Oct 2019

seem to know what the others are thinking. They're incredibly cute as a bonus

NotHardly

(1,062 posts)

4. Perhaps they have continued to evolve ... imagine that

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 4, 2019, 06:21 AM

Oct 2019

... good, because we've really mucked up this place and someone else may need to be able to grab the baton we threw to the ground.

Ramsey Barner

(349 posts)

5. The differences are on a continuum

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 4, 2019, 06:40 AM

Oct 2019

"What separates humans from 'the beasts' of nature?" Not much, since we're all animals. Every difference humans have thought they had from other animals has turned out to be a difference of degree, not a difference of kind. Communication, tool use, culture, mental abilities, the works. If that's a humbling thought, well, good!