Gorillas can learn sign language, elephants can make self portraits and sea turtles travel hundreds of miles of ocean to nest on the same beach where they were born. With these amazing tasks being performed, some people wonder whether animals possess the ability for higher cognitive function, and just how smart they really are.
Collin Allen, a professor of philosophy of science and of history from Indiana University, will address how much animals know and how they learn in a lecture tonight.
"I am fascinated every day," Allen said when referring to the research of his field.
The lecture will take place today at 7:30 p.m. in 127 Biology Building.
"This lecture is of interest to anyone who has ever wondered about the relationship between human thought and animal cognition," said Chase Wrenn, an associate professor of philosophy and member of the Evolutionary Working Group.
Allen's lecture titled, "Smart Animals, Dumb Humans? How Should We Understand the Evolutionary Continuity of Mind?" will address the mental capacities of animals and make connections to the cognitive awareness of the human mind.
"We compare animal minds to our own," Allen said, "The way in which the animal mind works serves as a partial mirror back on ourselves and how our minds function."
Allen studies animal behavior and cognition. He has co-authored "Species of Mind," and has served as co-editor of several works. He is also co-developer of two logic instructional Web sites: logic.tamu.edu and www.poweroflogic.com.
He has received grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Allen received his bachelor's degree in philosophy from University College London in 1982 and his doctorate in philosophy from UCLA in 1989. He is a faculty member in Indiana University's Cognitive Science Program and a member of the core faculty in Indiana University's Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior.
"I have been to Tuscaloosa before," Allen said, "and I am looking forward to coming back."
Allen's lecture is the third of the ALLELE series this year. The ALLELE series began in 2005.
"The ALLELE series is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn from the experts," Wrenn said.
The goal of the series is to raise awareness and understanding about evolution, Wrenn said.
He said he is a member of The Evolutionary Working Group that helps to organize the ALLELE series.
The lectures in the series are free and open to the public. The series goal is to be free of technical jargon and to produce a lecture that is informative and easily understood, according to the ALLELE Web site.
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