Tense Bees and Shell-Shocked Crabs: Are Animals Conscious?

Tye, a philosopher at the University of Texas–Austin, adopts a dual philosophical and biological approach in asking whether nonhuman animals are conscious beings. Philosophically, Tye attempts to define what it means to be conscious and to have experiences, as opposed to simply reacting mechanistically to environmental stimuli. Biologically, he summarizes numerous behavioral studies of animals, including fish, birds, and reptiles. Tye persuasively presents his fascinating scientific evidence; animals appear to be capable of far more complex behavioral responses and learning than many researchers previously imagined. His discussion of the philosophical underpinnings, however, is complicated and likely frustrating to the nonspecialist, with its heavy emphasis on semantics. In an ironic twist, Tye is extremely careful about his use of philosophical language yet is far more lax when it comes to biology. He repeatedly refers to “Mother Nature” and attributes intentional creative powers to it, failing to recognize that this is not how natural selection functions. Also, his final chapter, addressing the ethical treatment of animals, is too brief and superficial to add anything meaningful to that discussion. Tye does present a convincing conclusion, identifying as a form of speciesism the assumption that animals physiologically distinct from humans are not conscious and therefore unable to have meaningful experiences. (Dec.)