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Surprising Science

Are Animals Smarter?

Non-human animals are a lot smarter, and less “reflexive” or “instinct-based” than most people think. And maybe we humans are a bit more reflexive than we’d like to believe.
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Hank Davis argues that non-human animals are a lot smarter, and less ‘reflexive’ or ‘instinct-based’ than most people think. “I’m not suggesting you can engage your dog in intelligent conversation (although I believe you’ve got a better chance with your dog than with your cat). Kidding aside, there is a wealth of psychological research and opinion about just how advanced the cognitive abilities of many species really are. …Here’s the other side of the coin, and it’s a necessary part if you want the whole coin. Maybe we humans are not as smart as we think. Maybe we’re a bit more reflexive or “instinct-based” than we’d like to believe.

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