Being Human

One species which is very closely linked to humans is the chimpanzee, with 99% of its genetic makeup being the same as in humans. Scientists also believe that humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestor.

Human vs. Chimp Thinking

 According to Daniel Povinelli, what are some of the ways human and chimp thinking are similar?
What does Povinelli believe to be the fundamental difference between the kind of thoughts humans can have and the kind of thoughts chimps can have?

Beyond the Present

In the video, Daniel Gilbert mentions eating thumbtacks and liver ice cream as examples of our ability to learn from mistakes without making them. Can you think of other examples?

Thinking About Thinking

How does Dunbar explain intentionality? What level of intentionality are apes capable of? Explain third-order intentionality. Why do you think humans can't go beyond fifth-order intentionality?

Summarize how human thought differs from the thinking of other species.

Human and Chimpanzee Brains

Insight and Imagination

According to the video, why are insight and imagination so important? What two examples of insight are mentioned in the video? Can you think of others?

What examples of imagination are mentioned in the video? Can you think of another example?

Insight into the minds of others, along with the ability to imagine how things might be different, are at the core of what makes us human. This is what enabled our ancestors to survive while Neanderthals became extinct, and it is what enabled us to evolve beyond our living cousins, the chimpanzees.