No Stupid Questions

I'm currently reading a book (Robbin Hobb, Farseer trilogy pt. 2) that deals with this.

I really like how it describes animal thought & communication:

The author translates very reasonable impulses and non-language thoughts for a dog/wolf to have into prose that the hero of the book can relate and respond to. Yes, they have a telepathic connection; that's the fantasy part.

It's not precise of course, but I find it pretty reasonable from a scientific pov while still fit for a fantasy novel.

Basically, the above exapmple and I agree with the currently top comment by @e0qdk@reddthat.com.

I suspect most of them do not have an internal monologue in the same (verbose) sense that humans can have, but the relatively closely related ones (e.g. mammals, probably) likely have similar memory/sensory integration experiences. It's possible to get your own inner monologue to "shut up" for a bit, and just be and feel and do. You can still remember an experience without talking to yourself about it as well. I suspect that closely related animals' experience is like that -- although differing based on the particular set of senses and drives unique to their species.

The further away you go from that, the less idea I have of what's going on (besides "state machine" of some sort). I have only the vaguest notion of what it might be like to be a spider, and even less of an idea of what it's like to be a starfish.

Fruit flies have been studied very thoroughly in this manner. A lot of their brains are hardwired to sensory inputs and motor control, but the interesting thing is that their thoughts aren’t just made up of the connections between nervous tissue; the connective tissue itself is also used to store and modulate information.

What they don’t have is a highly developed cerebral cortex; so while they can feel pain and anxiety and probably anger and frustration, they don’t have much ability to reflect on any of it after the fact.

Animals that can do that include cats, whales, elephants, octopuses, parrots, ravens and jumping spiders.

Relevant SMBC: https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/bot-3

It's not insightful or anything, but I think it's an interesting coincidence that you're asking this question so soon after it was published.

"That thing over there looks interesting. Can I eat it? Or fuck it? Nope, nevermind then. That reminds me, I'm hungry and horny... as usual."

I always wonder what my dogs are dreaming about when they start making noises and moving their feet while completely conked out. Especislly my husky girl, cuz she is pretty quiet for a husky; she makes more whimpers and howls in her sleep than she does even when she's hyped up and awake.

Most of the things you mentioned like insects and spiders don't have a mind. Their brains are too small for anything resembling a mind. It's all instinct, learnt responses based on stimuli.

Something like a cat or a dog is smart enough to have some kind of internal concept of the world around them, but still very limited. It's hard to say how much of a mind they have, but it's much simpler than the one humans have. There are simply cognitive tests one can do on small children, which most animals fail. Although cats are notoriously hard to test in these kinds of things, because they don't give a fuck and if they don't feel like cooperating they just won't.

But humans are unique in this aspect, the way we have minds is something no other animal has. It's the unique trait that has made us masters of this planet (for better or worse, probably worse). Perhaps some animals like dolphins and some apes can come closer, but their mind would be similar to a very young child at best.

Especially when you get down to insects, I imagine it as no thought, just programmed responses

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_consciousness

What goes through the mind of a doorknob?

Like the human animal's mind, except with less self awareness, less reflection, less contemplation, less hypotheticals, less mental gymnastics, less moral quandaries, less planning, less worries, less memories, less relationship drama, less existential angst, less sleepless nights remembering cringe moments... Depending on the other animal species and the individual.