Rating: 
Summary: An Interesting Book That Doesn't Answer the Question
Review: As an earlier reviewer stated, the book "Wild Minds" is uninspired. But, it is interesting and well worth reading. One essentially learns how the animal brain has evolved for survival in a species specific manner. Because the animal must survive in a geometric world, the brain functions in accordance with this world; animals come into the world with a certain mental toolkit. This toolkit places certain limitations or restrictions on the specie's ability to adapt however. One of the most interesting lessons of Hauser's writing is the result of recent research that shows how the brain learns on its own, so to speak, prior to and without consciousness. Hauser's examples drawn from animal experiments are fascinating to contemplate, but he ultimately tells us that we can never really know what an animal thinks or feels. He ends by presenting solid arguments for animals, despite the appearance of altruistic behavior, not having any kind of moral sense. In the end Hauser acknowledges that we can only seek to understand how an animal's mind functions as far as how it will behave. We will never know how it thinks or feels! Given this, we may wonder about the subtitle which seems to mislead in order to sell books. If you are interested in "what animals really think," you will not find it here. If you are interested in how animal brains function (including the human)in regard to their behavioral adaptations and limitations, as a result of their evolutionary heritage as geared to survival in their environment, you probably will find the book of some interest.
Rating:
Summary: An Interesting Book That Doesn't Answer the Question
Review: As an earlier reviewer stated, the book "Wild Minds" is uninspired. But, it is interesting and well worth reading. One essentially learns how the animal brain has evolved for survival in a species specific manner. Because the animal must survive in a geometric world, the brain functions in accordance with this world; animals come into the world with a certain mental toolkit. This toolkit places certain limitations or restrictions on the specie's ability to adapt however. One of the most interesting lessons of Hauser's writing is the result of recent research that shows how the brain learns on its own, so to speak, prior to and without consciousness. Hauser's examples drawn from animal experiments are fascinating to contemplate, but he ultimately tells us that we can never really know what an animal thinks or feels. He ends by presenting solid arguments for animals, despite the appearance of altruistic behavior, not having any kind of moral sense. In the end Hauser acknowledges that we can only seek to understand how an animal's mind functions as far as how it will behave. We will never know how it thinks or feels! Given this, we may wonder about the subtitle which seems to mislead in order to sell books. If you are interested in "what animals really think," you will not find it here. If you are interested in how animal brains function (including the human)in regard to their behavioral adaptations and limitations, as a result of their evolutionary heritage as geared to survival in their environment, you probably will find the book of some interest.
Rating: 
Summary: What Do Animals Really Think? You Won't Find it in this Book
Review: As another reader has pointed out, Hauser's subtitle is misleading. He readily admits that scientific studies on the nonhuman animal mind are very incomplete, but based on the limited evidence to this point, rather rashly concludes that they are not on a par with human animal minds (according to him, nonhuman animals are not self-aware and do not feel embarrassment or shame, but like humans three years old or younger, deserve good treatment from us.) In other words, he comes across, like the more enlightened scientists, as a welfarist--treat 'em right, but keep 'em in their place (so we can keep experimenting on them). Hauser is careful not to be condescending to those who may suspect that their dogs or cats or any other animals have more between their ears than we currently understand. In the first chapter he states his case against popular writers like Jeffrey Masson and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, whom he claims commit the "sin" of anthropomorphosis--but it's not a diatribe. If you can get past that clearly stated bias, Hauser's book is an informative if unsatisfying read, because the findings he presents ultimately leave you up in the air about what animals really think.
Rating: 
Summary: Good value
Review: As George Page pointed out in his New York Times review,most scientists fail when they try to write a popular account of the science they practice. Marc Hauser's book "Wild Minds" does not fail. It is not, unlike most books, filled with jargon. Nor is it condescending. It is a non-technical, but intelligent treatment of an important problem: what animals think and how they think. In the first part of the book, Hauser shows that all animals have brains with three distinctive capacities or what he calls "tools". these are the capacity to recognize objects, count how many there are, and navigate through space. In part two he describes several specialized tools that only some animals have. Specifically, the ability to learn from others,recognize themselves(i.e., a sense of self), and deceive others. In part three, he takes these tools explores how they play a role in systems of communication and possibly, developing a moral society. The examples are well chosen, and vivid. This is a book of passion, and a more than welcome addition to the field.
Rating:
Summary: Good value
Review: As George Page pointed out in his New York Times review,most scientists fail when they try to write a popular account of the science they practice. Marc Hauser's book "Wild Minds" does not fail. It is not, unlike most books, filled with jargon. Nor is it condescending. It is a non-technical, but intelligent treatment of an important problem: what animals think and how they think. In the first part of the book, Hauser shows that all animals have brains with three distinctive capacities or what he calls "tools". these are the capacity to recognize objects, count how many there are, and navigate through space. In part two he describes several specialized tools that only some animals have. Specifically, the ability to learn from others,recognize themselves(i.e., a sense of self), and deceive others. In part three, he takes these tools explores how they play a role in systems of communication and possibly, developing a moral society. The examples are well chosen, and vivid. This is a book of passion, and a more than welcome addition to the field.
Rating:
Summary: too much "we'll never really know"
Review: Hauser has written a remarkably accessible introduction to comparative psychology. While containing the main points one might expect in a textbook outline, he does an excellent job of presenting this information in an interesting narrative form. Hauser begins with an introductory chapter that presents his basic approach and cautions against anthropomorphisms. Chapters two through four comprise a unit that focuses on those mental capacities shared by animals and human beings. Both can identify objects and predict their movement. Both can distinguish quantity. Both can navigate through space. Perhaps it takes a course in cognitive psychology to appreciate these commonalities, but I believe that Hauser does an excellent job of presenting research results for lay consumption. His presentation of animal and human infant studies of the expectancy-violation principle is alone worth the cost of the book. The second section, chapters five through seven, focus on mental capacities which seem to be qualitatively common in animals and humans, but quantitatively distinct. Hauser presents a well-balanced account of the evidence for self-awareness, teaching, and deception among animals. The final section contains two chapters on mental capacities that appear to be almost unique to human beings - language and morality. Hauser's careful review of animal communication is amazing, as is his locus of morality in the ability to inhibit selfish tendencies to maintain social conventions. I recommend this book without reservation. No reader will regret spending time with this book. It is quite stimulating.
Rating:
Summary: Subtitle should be how animals and human minds differ
Review: Hauser has written a remarkably accessible introduction to comparative psychology. While containing the main points one might expect in a textbook outline, he does an excellent job of presenting this information in an interesting narrative form. Hauser begins with an introductory chapter that presents his basic approach and cautions against anthropomorphisms. Chapters two through four comprise a unit that focuses on those mental capacities shared by animals and human beings. Both can identify objects and predict their movement. Both can distinguish quantity. Both can navigate through space. Perhaps it takes a course in cognitive psychology to appreciate these commonalities, but I believe that Hauser does an excellent job of presenting research results for lay consumption. His presentation of animal and human infant studies of the expectancy-violation principle is alone worth the cost of the book. The second section, chapters five through seven, focus on mental capacities which seem to be qualitatively common in animals and humans, but quantitatively distinct. Hauser presents a well-balanced account of the evidence for self-awareness, teaching, and deception among animals. The final section contains two chapters on mental capacities that appear to be almost unique to human beings - language and morality. Hauser's careful review of animal communication is amazing, as is his locus of morality in the ability to inhibit selfish tendencies to maintain social conventions. I recommend this book without reservation. No reader will regret spending time with this book. It is quite stimulating.
Rating:
Summary: Useful but not very clear
Review: Hauser is not a good writer. His explanations are often unclear. His arguments are often disorganized. There is a lot of interesting stuff here, and it's a useful antidote to the rampant anthropomorphism of many less scientific books.
Rating:
Summary: too much "we'll never really know"
Review: His style is a little flat: a scientist writing for popular audience and trying really hard not to talk down. But he organizes the subject really well and clearly, with chapters on tools, numbers, spatial navegation, sense of self, language, moral reasoning. Each one synthesizes a large amount of scientific research on both animals and children, with interesting anecdotes. The preface makes it clear he's writing against sentimental popular books on the subject that treat animal as being like humans inside, and themselves attack "the scientists." But this book gives a dreary image of the scientists. Each chapter describes some amazing abilities of different animals, describes some exhausting, repetitive experiments to document (it often seems) a small part of what was already suspected, and then concludes that as to the most important part -- "what animals really think" -- science doesn't know. But (drearily), they probably aren't conscious. He should be clearer than he is in summarizing what the experiments have shown, and in particular about the differences in cognitive performance (not "real thought") btw adult and infant humans, primates (his main interest), birds (who get less attention), rats (still less), and social insects (who make a few star turns).
Rating:
Summary: Great for a Layman, Questionable for a Professional
Review: Marc Hauser does a wonderful job of presenting the mind set and questions that a comparative cognition researcher asks. The writing is highly accessible and at the same time appropriately academic. As a professional in this field, I found the philosophical presentation of many of the ideas highly useful. However, Hauser makes some severe theoretical mistakes in his introduction that I find disturbing (i.e. the most profitable comparison among species is not necesarilly between animals and human infants and Human rules are not based on some understanding of what is right and wrong but, like animals are based on reproductive self interest). Hauser later redeems himself in the text of the book to some extent, but I was left with a feeling that there is a hole in his academic background when it comes to sociobiology and ethology. There is also an us versus them attitude, especially in the first few chapters where he is dealing with athropomorphism. It was wonderful to have the record for research and anecdotal observations set strait, but I would have preferred it without the condencending tone. Overall, this book reminded me of Marc's research; superior attitude, intriging outcome, but questionable methods. I am glad to have it in my library, but, I will always be leary of the source.
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