March 3, 2000. The Connection with Christopher Lydon. March 3, 2000. Animals and infants both know teacups don't float in the air, and 100-bannanas are more than ten. That may not sound like much common ground, but cognitive scientists say they're two important links in a mental chain that runs from mice to men.
All animals can learn, and some can teach, and some can recognize themselves in a mirror.
Sea turtles, homing pigeons, even certain kinds of ants navigate better than your average urban man. The Dr. Doolittle dream escapes us, but animals do talk amongst themselves. Vervet monkeys have different cries for eagle, snake, and leopard - almost like our own words. Birdsong and whalesong form the tune and the lyrics, but their meaning still seems less than human. Human minds and animal minds, in the first hour of The Connection with Elizabeth Spelke and Marc Hauser .