This discussion topic is inspired by my seeing the title of an article written in German published in February 2012 by a Research Gate member which contains the words "Konnen Tiere denken?" One answer to this question is, No; animals cannot think. Only humans can think."
Dear researchers,
Plants exhibit very complex behaviour communicating primarily with insects for tens million years.
“…plant intelligence is the ability of plants to sense the environment and adjust their morphology, physiology and phenotype accordingly...Plant cells can be electrically excitable and can display rapid electrical responses (action potentials) to environmental stimuli. These action potentials can influence processes such as actin-based cytoplasmic streaming, plant organ movements, wound responses, respiration, photosynthesis and flowering…Plants…can then smell the danger and prepare for the attack by producing chemicals that defend insects or attract predators.” (http://www.cognopedia.com/wiki/Plant_intelligence)
“The most diverse insect groups appear to have coevolved with flowering plants.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect)
The absolutely striking is a fact that plants developed flowers and smells to attract insects, but we humans like flowers and smells, as well as we like colorful butterflies developed to attract insects themselves. It looks like humans have common sense of beauty with plants and insects.
It seems that insects societies are comparable in complexity and culture to human society.
“Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants… Ants form colonies that range in size from a few dozen predatory individuals living in small natural cavities to highly organised colonies that may occupy large territories and consist of millions of individuals. Larger colonies consist mostly of sterile, wingless females forming castes of "workers", "soldiers", or other specialised groups. Nearly all ant colonies also have some fertile males called "drones" and one or more fertile females called "queens". The colonies are described as superorganisms because the ants appear to operate as a unified entity, collectively working together to support the colony… Ants thrive in most ecosystems and may form 15–25% of the terrestrial animal biomass. Their success in so many environments has been attributed to their social organisation and their ability to modify habitats, tap resources, and defend themselves… Ant societies have division of labour, communication between individuals, and an ability to solve complex problems. These parallels with human societies have long been an inspiration and subject of study… Ants communicate with each other using pheromones, sounds, and touch… Many animals can learn behaviours by imitation, but ants may be the… group… where interactive teaching has been observed… It is believed that many ant species that engage in indirect herbivory rely on specialized symbiosis with their gut microbes to upgrade the nutritional value of the food they collect and allow them to survive in nitrogen poor regions, such as rainforrest canopies… They continually collect leaves which are taken to the colony, cut into tiny pieces and placed in fungal gardens. Workers specialise in related tasks according to their sizes. The largest ants cut stalks, smaller workers chew the leaves and the smallest tend the fungus… Symbiotic bacteria on the exterior surface of the ants produce antibiotics that kill bacteria introduced into the nest that may harm the fungi.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant)
Preprint THE PHILOSOPHICAL STUDY OF INTELLECT EVOLUTION
Best regards,
Konstantin M. Golubev
@ Nancy
Most animals are what we describe as 'sentient' - they can think, perceive their environment, and experience suffering and pleasure, although they may experience and understand these in diverse ways. There are different levels of consciousness and some animals have higher levels than others
http://agriculture.vic.gov.au
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