The Evolution of Animal Intelligence (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Samuel J. Holmes

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0260313351 ISBN 13: 9780260313355

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2017

Synopsis

Unlock the science behind animal minds and the roots of modern comparative psychology.

This book surveys how researchers moved from viewing animals as reflections of human thought to examining behavior, nerves, and learning through careful experimentation. It offers a clear look at how early ideas about consciousness evolved into a rigorous, evidence-based approach to understanding animal intelligence.

The work traces the rise of experimental psychology and its tools, and explains why scientists now frame behavior in terms of observable actions and internal states that may be hidden from direct view. It also discusses how researchers weigh the question of consciousness, using criteria like learning from experience while acknowledging the limits of inference across species.

Inside you will explore how internal conditions such as hunger, fatigue, and metabolism influence responses, and how different creatures display a wide range of behaviors from simple reflexes to more complex patterns. The text draws on examples from a broad array of animals to illustrate how behavior adapts to stimuli, environment, and internal needs.

• How experimental psychology transformed the study of animal minds
• The role of hunger, fatigue, and internal state in shaping behavior
• Different species’ responses and what they reveal about learning and consciousness
• Historical perspectives on instinct, reflexes, and the mental life of animals

Ideal for readers curious about animal minds, the history of psychology, and how scientists ask questions about consciousness across species.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0260313351
• ISBN 13: 9780260313355
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 312