Are we smart enough to know how smart animals are?

That question is the title of a new book by primatologist and bestselling author Frans de Waal. It’s a must-read for fans of writers who open new vistas into how we see ourselves and our place in nature.

Are animals smart… and are we smart enough to know how smart they are…?

Are animals smarter than we think? And Are We Smart Enough To Know How Smart Animals Are?

By David Stone

for Assorted Ideas, Large & Small

Also: Be the Person Your Dog Thinks You Are

Catchy titles, as every good publisher knows, sell books.

With competition intense, an immediate attention grabber gets you ahead of the crowd. But the science of title creation surpasses that of book writing.

The contents often have a hard time keeping up with the few words that decorate the spine.

With Frans de Waal, that’s never an issue. If anything, he has a habit of making his case so fully that he delivers more than you need.

In his earlier The Age of Empathy, de Waal convinced me before I was halfway through, but he’s such an engaging writer I still enjoyed reading on

How To Keep Your Cat Healthy, Active and Content

In Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? he takes a giant step away from traditional science’s dismissal of other species as not being up to human standards.

Some scientists stubbornly hold to that idea, although the most direct understanding of evolution shows us that every species, including our own, is now at the peak of its path through the universe.

Evolution hones us to be the best we can be on our own terms, given the challenges of the world in which we and our ancestors have lived.

Does your cat pet you for pleasure or do you pet your cat for his or her pleasure?

The next time someone tells you your dog’s not smart, explain to him that your dog is smart enough to be fed without going off to work or getting a driver’s license, privileges few humans can claim.

De Waal chides scientists for making human abilities the yardstick for measuring animal intelligence.

Japan’s monkeys wash their potatoes and ride deer like horses

For example, scientists tested chimps’ skills at face recognition by showing them human faces. The chimps did poorly. Then, someone decided to test them with chimp faces, and they did fine.

Why, you wonder, would a clear-thinking scientist imagine that chimps would evolve a skill for recognizing human faces?

Our insistence on judging animals by comparing them to humans ignores the very dynamics that make cats and dogs different than humans.

The Shih Tzu Breed Is the Perfect Family Companion

Are rabbits lesser creatures because they don’t read Shakespeare? Or are they geniuses of their own kind, brilliantly aware that sitting in a chair leafing through pages of sonnets is of no use whatever to their well-being?

If you love animals and want to gain a deeper understanding of what nature has done with them, get a copy of Frans de Waal’s bestseller, Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?

You will never look at your cat or dog the same way again. You might begin to wonder who’s running the show.

Also from Assorted Ideas, Large & Small

Stiff Prices, Unfulfilled Orders: How the Private Contractor Running Rikers Commissary Serves Detainees
Bianca Pallaro and Reuven Blau, The City This article was originally published on Jun 9 5:00am EDT by THE CITY In April 2022, the New York City Department of Correction signed a no-bid contract with a company called the Keefe Group to take over the commissary operations at Rikers Island, and offer a new web-based
Haynes at it again. Someone please offer this man a new job
It looks like a long campaign for a new job. Why else would anyone push this nonsense? “Given a problematic task nearly 50 years ago, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation established and slowly grew a small-town community in the middle of New York City – until Shelton Haynes took over as CEO.” Echoes of “Only
Staying Inside Won’t Protect You from Smoke Unless the Air is Clean
Samantha Maldonado, The City This article was originally published on Jun 8 8:38pm EDT by THE CITY As New York City’s air quality remained unhealthy due to Canadian wildfires, Mayor Eric Adams encouraged New Yorkers to avoid going outside to protect themselves from the pollution. The city made it easier for some New Yorkers to
Gap Show – RIVAA’s New Idea Surprises Next Week at the Gallery
What is a gap show? We’re about to find out on Wednesday June 14th, when RIVAA‘s artists surprise visitors with a themed show. With ten days to run, they will fill the walls with inspiration while sculpted objects surprise from the floor. But, here’s the fun part: the theme is so loose, art lovers can
The Tug-of-War for New York City’s Streets: Iconic Avenues with Unbelievable Histories
Hey there, fellow street wanderers! Ever wondered how the bustling, iconic avenues of New York City came to be? We’re about to take a fast ride through the histories of NYC’s most famous streets. From fun facts to intriguing stories, you’ll never see the Big Apple the same way again. So, ready to dive in