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Example research essay topic: Cognitive Abilities Language Skills - 1,359 words

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... sy patients indicated a remarkable improvement in their social demeanor, work and sentence skills, and ability to take initiative. Another study of symbolic communication therapy in severely mentally retarded children reaped remarkable results: "Individuals for whom all traditional methods of speech and other language training had failed, had learned to communicate for the first time in their lives, using (a) computer-based keyboard lexi gram system" (Savage-Rumbaugh and Lewin 193). The use of a computer-based keyboard lexi gram system was used by Savage-Rumbaugh in her studies of symbolic communication in apes. The symbols, or lexigram's, on the keyboard stood for one word. The lexigram's were built from simple geometric forms and sub classified according to three different colors (Savage-Rumbaugh and Lewin 182).

The system was called LANA (LANguage Analogue), the same name given to the first chimp who used it. Lana, the chimp, was given access to the computer on a 24 -hour basis so that she could interact with it even when the researchers were not present. Her activities on the keyboard were stored in memory. Although Lana acquired an impressive, working vocabulary, Savage-Rumbaugh concluded that the chimp's comprehension skills were not highly developed. In contrast, in later work with Kanzi, Savage-Rumbaugh concluded that he indeed possessed certain elements of language, although not a true grammar: "We demonstrate that an ape, in a communicative environment with humans, develops a productive grammar uncontaminated by imitation, and most interestingly, invents primitive symbol-ordering rules that he has not been exposed to in his symbolic environment" (Savage-Rumbaugh 164).

Savage-Rumbaugh argues that animals have minds because of their self-awareness and their ability to deceive: "Evidence of self-awareness and of deception therefore suggests that apes think of themselves and other as having knowledge states that differ" (Savage-Rumbaugh 276). The idea that the knowledge state of one entity differs from another is central to the theory of conscious mental ability. It implies that animals believe that other animals have minds, else why would an animal care about its appearance or about being deceptive? According to Savage-Rumbaugh, "lies are notorious in the animal kingdom" (Savage-Rumbaugh 272).

Animals routinely "play dead" or imitate the behavioral patterns of other animals in order to elude capture. Studies of baboon and monkeys indicate their readiness to manipulate the action of other members of their species in order to achieve selfish ends (Savage-Rumbaugh 272). This brings to mind the aforementioned vervet monkeys. A related form of deception is the games of pretense that animals play, frequently alone. Savage-Rumbaugh has observed chimps playing with imaginary toys and fleeing from make-believe monsters (Savage-Rumbaugh 277). Jakendoff cites numerous studies that indicate the ability of apes to use symbols and, although he argues that apes lack a "mental grammar" on the same level as humans, no convincing research exits that explains why apes have this capacity to acquire symbolized language (Jackendoff 139).

Savage-Rumbaugh's observations lead her to believe that "chimpanzees can acquire language skills spontaneously, through social exposure to a language-rich environment, as human children do. " (Savage-Rumbaugh and Lewin 177). Some critics suggest that the language tasks given to apes do not require a great deal of intelligence. Others insist that the apes' ability is the result of stimulus-response activity or conditioning. (i. e. the Behaviorists and the Cartesian's).

As we have already discussed in class, these theories are being hotly debated today, and it appears as though the majority believe that cognitive thought is possible in species other than humans. Strum reports on Washburn whose research indicates that baboon aggression is linked to the inability of the ape family to develop language skills (Strum 145). In the early development of humans, man acquired a complex social life stemming from his grasp of language. This complex social life "modified the human body, emotions and brain. In fact, the specific part of the brain that makes language possible could really be considered the 'social brain'...

functioning as a mediator of social pressures and helping to produce appropriate social actions" (Strum 146). This suggests that the ape family's lack of language skills has stunted the evolution of their cognitive abilities. Strum disagrees with critics who attribute deficient mental abilities to animals, and cites her studies with baboons as evidence: "All the evidence pointed to baboons being remarkably clever social sophisticates in all aspects of their lives" (Strum 140). Strum found that baboon society exhibited a stable, female hierarchy unique to the animal world.

In studying baboons for the past fifteen years, she has noted "extraordinary intelligence, planning and insight in their interaction with each other" (Strum 128). Their behavior ranged from comical to aggressive. The work of Jane Goodall in assessing the intelligence of apes give further credence to the theory of animal mentation. Goodall spent twenty-nine years studying chimpanzee behavior in Africa. She concludes: "All those who have worked long and closely with chimpanzees have no hesitation in asserting that chimpanzees have emotions similar to those which in ourselves we label pleasure, joy, sorrow, boredom and so on... " (Rollin 271). Goodall approached her work not only as a scientist, but as a human being who felt a moral responsibility to the subjects under study.

Rollin believes that the moral aspect in scientific research involving animals is lacking because scientists are unwilling to admit the existence of animal mentation. They fear being accused of anthropomorphism! I believe that they not only fear anthropomorphism, but they are genuinely afraid of dissipating the thin line that distinguishes the animals from the humans. This concept of fear is further addressed by Dr. Matt Cart mill when he reflects that "Whether we fear or welcome the dissolution of [the animal human ] boundary (as) the real issue behind much of the recent debate over primate communication, sociobiology, and human evolution. " (excerpt from Human Uniqueness in Paleoanthropology).

Although many scientists believe in animal consciousness, they are unwilling to admit it publicly. As one colleague confided to Rollin, "I believe it at home, but I leave it behind when I go to the lab" (Rollin 268). Belief in animal mentation requires value judgments, something which modern science abhors. For this reason, many in the field are reluctant even to propose study of the concept. Belief in the cognitive abilities of animals is crucial to the issue of animal rights and welfare.

Currently, traditional science adopts the viewpoint that animals are incapable of emotions related tot he satisfaction or non-satisfaction of their needs. Therefore, the humane treatment of lab animals is not an issue (ala Descartes) According to Rollin, the only was to convince the skeptics and remedy this mindset is for the study of animal consciousness to become a moral science: Methodologies must be devised which maximize the respect for individual animals acknowledging that without research into animal awareness, moral concern for animals in society must be limited in both scope and detail, and resulting social policy must inevitably be ill-founded" (Rollin 270). To convince the skeptics in the scientific community, research into animal consciousness must go beyond demonstration of the ability of animals to exhibit language. As Savage-Rumbaugh states, " As long as behavioral scientist follow in the footsteps of Descartes, assuming that nonhuman animals are merely robots made of meat and bone, they will refuse to give up their paradigms built upon the methods of physics and chemistry. " (Savage-Rumbaugh & Lewin 255). Language is based on comprehensive. Comprehensive is exhibited by a wide range of language-related skills.

These include the ability to draw inferences, weighing relevancy's, participation in social practices, providing justifications, and using language to guide and plan activities (Atherton and Schwartz 14). Most ape language studies indicate that animals possess the cognitive aptitude to perform all these activities, although not at a level of sophistication that matches human beings. Maybe another way to tackle the question of animal consciousness would be to try to think in terms of the animal mind instead of in terms of the human mind. Either way one looks at this issue, after considering the facts presented in "Kanzi", there can be no question as to the validity for the argument that many animals possess a level of consciousness and understanding.


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Research essay sample on Cognitive Abilities Language Skills

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