A New ‘Periodic Table’? Evolution, human exceptionalism and the complexity of animal intelligence
A New ‘Periodic Table’? Evolution, human exceptionalism and the complexity of animal intelligence
What is intelligence? Within the animal kingdom there is a wealth and diversity of different intelligences – but as humans how do we make sense of this complexity, and how can we comprehend it in a systematic way?
Philosophers at the University of Cambridge have recently collaborated with researchers in Australia to argue that one important piece of the puzzle involves treating the evolution of cognition as a series of major transitions. Each transition involved a qualitative change in how information was processed within animal nervous systems. Each transition gave rise to new cognitive capacities, while transforming the power and scope of existing cognitive functions.
Join this fascinating discussion to find out more about how we, as humans, can make sense of the wide array of animal intelligence.
Speakers
Dr Marta Halina
Dr Marta Halina is University Associate Professor in the Philosophy of Cognitive Science at the Department of History and Philosophy of Science. She received her PhD in Philosophy and Science Studies at the University of California, San Diego in 2013 and was a McDonnell Postdoctoral Fellow in the Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Program at Washington University in St. Louis before coming to Cambridge in 2014. Marta’s research focuses on nonhuman animal cognition, mechanistic explanation, and artificial intelligence. She co-founded the Kinds of Intelligence program at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, which draws on work in psychology, neurobiology, computer science and philosophy to develop and critically assess notions of intelligence. In addition to her philosophical writings on animal minds, Marta has designed and run studies testing the social cognitive skills of nonhuman primates. Her recent publications include “Replications in Comparative Psychology” (Animal Behavior and Cognition) and “Insightful Artificial Intelligence” (Mind & Language).
