Kristin Andrews: The animal mind: an introduction to the philosophy of animal cognition

Abstract

The Animal Mind is a concise and comprehensive overview of the increasingly burgeoning philosophical discourse surrounding animal cognition. In it, Andrews takes the reader topically through the science of nonhuman minds, consciousness, beliefs, communication, social cognition, and morality. While the book is set up to function primarily as a text for use in the classroom, the depth with which Andrews treats each topic warrants its use as a research tool for anyone seeking to broaden their understanding or undertake a project pertaining to animal cognition. One of the most striking merits of The Animal Mind is its uniqueness and novelty. To be sure, countless books pertaining to cognitive ethology and animal behavior are available, and there have been several attempts at a genuine philosophy of animal cognition anthology. What sets Andrews’manuscript apart from these, however, is that the book is accessible to students just as much as it is to researchers. Indeed, as noted above, the book would work quite well in a class devoted to the philosophy of animal minds, or as a supplement to a traditional philosophy of mind, cognitive science, or philosophy of biology class. Animal studies programs – interdisciplinary degree plans that allow students to take science, philosophy, anthropology, and art classes all pertaining to nonhuman animals and their relationships to humans – are on the rise in U.S. colleges, and thus, Andrews’ book is a timely addition to this growing interest in a multi-disciplined approach to studying animal minds. Phenom Cogn Sci (2016) 15:475–481 DOI 10.1007/s11097-015-9442-y