Précis of: "Birds, Bats and Minds: Tales of a Revolutionary Scientist, Donald R. Griffin"
Carolyn A. Ristau
Animal Sentience August 3, 2026 DOI: 10.51291/2377-7478.1828 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Evolution Zoology Animal studies Comparative psychology |
| Key points | Argues that Donald Griffin's case for animal consciousness rested on three evidentiary avenues: neural correlates, behavioral versatility, and animal communication as a window into animal minds. Contends that Griffin faced opposition from scientific assumptions rooted in Cartesian views and parsimony concerns, and that he proposed ways to gather evidence despite philosophical objections such as Nagel's. |
Abstract
Donald Griffin co-discovered bat sonar and founded the field of echolocation. He studied bird migration and founded Cognitive Ethology, the study of animal awareness and mental experiences. In all these endeavors, he faced hostile opposition. The biography (Ristau 2024) examines Griffin's life and the scientific explorations by him and others in these fields. This Précis emphasizes his arguments and supporting evidence for animal consciousness as well as his later research. Griffin considered the inhibiting assumptions made by scientists, including Cartesian views, the misunderstanding of innate behaviors, prejudice against lower animals, concern with violations of parsimony, and the assertions of the philosopher Thomas Nagel about “inaccessible” science. Griffin proposed ways to gather evidence supporting animal consciousness: (1) neural correlates of consciousness, (2) the versatility of animal behavior in meeting novel challenges and (3) animal communication, which Griffin considered a potential “window” on animal minds. He pondered what is a truly neutral hypothesis about animal mental experience? What is it like to be a particular animal? and how can we gather evidence to answer that question?
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| The phenomenology of deep brain stimulation-induced changes in OCD: an enactive affordance-based model. | 2013 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Looking for the Self: Phenomenology, Neurophysiology and Philosophical Significance of Drug-induced Ego Dissolution | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |