Animal Consciousness program on KQED TV, 9:30 PM tonight

[Guest guest]

Animal Consciousness

Wednesday, 16 Aug 2006, 9:30 PM

Duration: 1:29:22, Stereo TVPG

KQED TV (channel 9)

 

This program leads viewers into the deepest reaches of the animal mind,

focusing on perhaps the most tantalizing and elusive of subjects -

consciousness. Humans experience consciousness on many levels: awareness

of surroundings, self-awareness, anticipation of future or potential

events and their consequences. Humans are even conscious of things on

which their minds are not focused, such as when a driver realizes that

he or she has been lost in thought, yet somehow manages to avoid

steering off a cliff or rear-ending another vehicle. Do these forms of

consciousness translate to animals - and if so, in what ways? Extensive

work with bees has led researchers to intriguing speculations. Honeybees

live in very complex societies whose members have specific functions

that contribute to the success of their hives. But does the bee do

everything by instinct, or is it capable of perceiving its actions in

some way? Experiments have shown that bees deprived of their normal

route between hive and nectar source complete their missions anyway,

suggesting that they are able to form pictures in their minds of the

land surrounding the hive.

 

http://www.kqed.org/programs/program-landing.jsp?progID=9013

 

=======================

 

This program is the final episode (#103) of " Inside the Animal Mind, a

'Nature' Miniseries " , described here:

 

Most pet owners believe their pets are both intelligent and sensitive.

After all, they understand commands, sense moods and know just how to

get what they want. In some ways, they anticipate owners' behavior as

accurately as owners do theirs. But are these truly examples of

intelligence, or simply the results of trial and error derived from

contact with humans? Can animals actually apply insight to problem

solving and understand abstract concepts? Do they reflect on the past

and worry about the future? Are they capable of recognizing their own

mortality? Nature explores these intriguing questions when it takes

viewers Inside the Animal Mind. Steve Kroft of " 60 Minutes " narrates the

miniseries, which includes a special introduction by long-time Nature

host George Page, who has written a companion book of the same title.

Humans have a natural tendency to attribute human-like characteristics

to animal behavior. However satisfying this " anthropomorphizing " may be,

it offers no scientific insight into the workings of the animal mind. In

addition, anthropomorphizing animals may lead to false conclusions. For

these reasons, this series covers the most rigorous research being

conducted around the world, focusing on tests and experiments carefully

structured to screen out the effects of pre-assumptions.

 

http://www.kqed.org/.pbs/wnet/nature/animalmind/