ENGL 163NDefining the Animal

3 credits · English · Penn State

Is it possible to comprehend the mind of another species? Can humans communicate with other animals? Do they have anything to say? In 1859, the publication of Darwin's The Origin of Species set the stage for the scientific investigation of animal minds. This course studies both scientific and non-scientific approaches to the study of thinking and emotion in animals. Students contemplate what researchers, artists, philosophers, writers and filmmakers learn by investigating the minds of animals, focusing on breakthroughs as well as misconceptions. Students conduct their own research on such topics as animal cognition and intelligence, animal language, anthropomorphism, animal testing and bioethics. Examples will be drawn from a range of disciplines in an effort to answer the central question: what is an animal, and what is a human?