Do animals think?
by 
lady fuschia
ANSWERS: 42
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sure they did.
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yeah of course the think they have to survive out in the wild that'd be pretty hard if you couldnt think
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If you mean are animals capable of cognition yes. However do they talk to themselves, some of them probably do like whales and porpoises. However the thinking of the animal is probably a lot different then the thinking of a human. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_cognition
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Officially, I don't know. But I do know my cats think, You can see the cogs turning in their head as they figure how best to jump on my head, or steal my breakfast (they like porridge). I'm pretty sure they can reason, manipulate and they can definitely tell me what they want (in meows of course), all that takes a bit of thinking.
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Yes they can think, they also seem to have a built in alarm clock. Sitting waiting at the door for the arrival of a person each day and never forget it is mealtime
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Seeing as humans are animals then yes! Ok seriously, that depends on the animal in question. For example, there is little doubt that developed life forms have thoughts, however, they don't have a language. Many people presume that thoughts require words, however, when you really think (ha ha) about it a lot of your thoughts don't require the use of words, I'm sure it's possible to know you are thirsty without "saying" it in your mind. Less developed animals like bacteria, insects etc are completely unaware that they exist, so have no thoughts at all. (As a side note- I mentioned that a language is not required for thought, but humans aren't the only species with a language. Scientists have found that certain Baboons appear to have a language of around twelve words, which are not just noises that convey emotions like a dog's growl. It's very interesting).
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I would really like to believe that they do. Otherwise, we had a cat who would sit and stare at the wall for hours on end for no reason whatsoever. She would do that a few times a week, and if you disturbed her, she would look around a bit confused, much like a person who was disturbed while deep in thought.
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i dont think they do. they only act on instinct.(all you animal lovers please dont go thinking i dont like animals cause i do).
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My dog sure does. Not only does she think; she schemes.
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I think yes, but I think that the complexity of thier thought process is limited. Go to link below. http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ThinkTank/EvidenceOfThinking/default.cfm Evidence of Thinking Strategic Thinking Social interactions may offer some of the strongest evidence of thinking. Survival depends on fulfilling needs, but how does a social animal fulfill the needs of finding resources, safety, and reproduction when other members of the group are all trying to do the same things? The answer is strategic thinking. Dealing with other individuals in a group can be complicated. Who can be trusted? Who can help? Who is the leader? Many individuals means many social possibilities. When there are multiple ways to achieve a social goal, it is likely that strategic thinking is occurring. To get what you want, planning and flexibility are the keys, and that means thinking.
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they must or they would not be able to learn right.
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It depends on the Animal. Primates ranging from Rhesus Monkeys to Humans, Cetations (Whales etc.), Some Corvids (Crows, Magpies etc.), and recently Rats have all been demonstrated to be capable of Meta Cognition. That is 'thinking about thinking'. This implies cognitive self awareness, (consciousness of ones self) which is what gives an individual self identity. This has not yet been demonstrated in other species that I am aware of. Most other animals do not seem to have this ability, but they all process information from the environment and react to it in order to survive.
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Yeah, my cats think about eating, that is why one of them sinks his teeth in my flesh to get me out the bed in the morning.
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Of course, especially the predators. Remember there are levels upon levels to everything.
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yes, they think, but not in the deep and complex way we do. My cat does...she considers what can get her more cuddles, more food, and whether or not she wants to go outside.
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my dog does. he can manipulate and so on. if i whip him he knows it. i've notice some other things that are weird about animals. it's like they some times have a 6th sense. birds that can get last around the world and fly back to their mating spot and so on.
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I know they can. I've had horses, dogs, cats, and several diffrent kinds of rodents and they all show signs of being able to think. If they couldn't then they wouldn't be trainable or adapt to new surroundings. And they all have a language of some sort. It's just not as complex as ours because it doesn't need to be. Just watch your pets over the next few days. You'll be amazed at what you see.
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Define animal. I am an animal and I think. I know that predators in general think, (and I presume that you mean reasoning?), they have to or go hungry. Prey has to think or they get eaten.
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yes, i do believe they do, they all think about how to torture humans, at least this one... but oh how i love them for it
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They certainly do although experts would tell you otherwise. And if you talk to Barbara Walters you will learn that they also talk. ;o)
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Yes. I had a Border Collie and I know she did!
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Yes, they think! We have a male Bichon Frise named Bailey. When he was a year old, my husband would come home for lunch each day and share a piece of his sandwich with Bailey; Well, one day, he came home and was looking up a few things in a code book he uses for work, continuing this research while eating his hot pastrami sandwich from the corner deli, sort of forgetting about Bailey ... later that day, when we arrived home from work, we noticed one of the chairs pushed away from the kitchen table... then we couldn't help but see (and SMELL) a 'gift' that Bailey left for his "Daddy" ON TOP of the table! Yup!, Bailey pushed the chair from the table, went on top of the table and strategically positioned his rear over the code book (that was on top of several other bigger books - like a pyramid) and thought ... 'Leave ME out of a pastrami sandwich will ya! ... What do you think of your code book now!" To this day, we've never seen anything like it!
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Definately. I have had many animals, and they think and have personalities.
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No, I believe that animals react by instinct with out reason, I dont believe they think
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yes, and probably more effectivly than most memebers of congress
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Yes eating peeing Sh..ing humping Then the cycle starts all over again.
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no kidding, they think. if they didn't they would be doing stupid stuff like throwing themselves off cliffs. -_-'
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yes they do. it'd be hard to survive if they didn't.
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Those of us who think our pets are the smartest ones around will find two new articles to be of interest, as will anyone with more than a passing interest in animal behavior and biology. In a recent article on azcentral.com, "What your pet is thinking," Wall Street Journal writer Sharon Begley reports that researchers are now looking beyond animal intelligence and focusing on whether animals are self-aware. Researchers, she writes, “are providing tantalizing evidence that animals not only learn and remember but that they may also have consciousness—in other words, they may be capable of thinking about their thoughts and knowing that they know.... There is controversy on this - many argue for and against...I simply watch my ferret Smooches and KNOW from all of the stuff he gets into that he is truly thinking!
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if you do, they should.
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ANIMALS ARE JUST LIKE HUMINS THEY HAVE FEELING AND THEY THINK TOO
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My dog Michael, does. He sits and thinks, all day long, of ways he can double dip on receiving dog food. If i feed Michael and my wife is not around, he will bring his food bowl to my wife and gives a pitiful look, like he was starving to death. we know what an empty bowl means to Michael. My wife always gives in and gives him more dog food. My dog thinks a lot. he was born intelligent. Michael is a Border Collie.
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Yes, animals do think as well as humans. They have intellegence just like us {although it is not the same}. There are dolphins who can save humans, and other animals had saved people's lives.
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Yes animals think. My dog is always thinking.He is a smart animal.He knows how to get what he wants...
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i doubt it, because my dog likes to run in front of cars.
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Yes, my dog thinks she cute!!! My cat thinks she crazy! lol!
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YES they DEFINATELY do. but thir brains are a lot smaller than ours and so they're not as clever so they can't think to the same degree as we can but yes of course they think...if they didn't think then they wouldn't be alive
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While studying cultural anthropology at Tulane University I took an elective class on animal psychology. Most of the time animals think about killing and eating people who post ridiculous questions on forums...
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Yes but some not to the degree that we do. Elephants mourn when relatives die it really matters how u use the word think. they dont think of the answer to maths problems. most monkeys if given time,wood,nail and a hammer it will evantually realise that the nail needs to go in the wood!
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They have to be able to think in order to survive. It seems like instincts wouldn't cut it, as animals use tactic and ingenuity to survive. Also, pets can be trained so they have to think to perform.
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Yes. How else would they be able to act on non-instinctual impulses?
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There's little doubt that their minds solve problems. If that's what you mean by think. They can think of the best way to get away from you or to catch each other. Some are very social, implying a need to share experiences. I love to learn. I buy books and study and read. Ferrets do not. They gather up fluffy things and shiny things and assorted whatnot. They desire to have these little things the same way I desire to learn. But I have no idea why they feel they need them when they are provided with a comfy bed and all the food they could need. And I doubt that they understand why living isn't enough for me, I have to understand why I live. So, I believe that they do think, just not the same way or about the same things as us.
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