Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

TagTool use (human vs. animal)

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Prehistoric Stone Tools

At SciAm: When did human ancestors start using stone tools?

Setting aside the question of whether the various groups mentioned in the article are in fact our ancestors, stone tool use is not even confined to primates
It’s not stone tool use that is exclusive to humans; vultures can do that. It’s the ability to form abstract ideas — like the study of tool use among animals. Read More ›
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遊ぶチンパンジーの子供

Why Humans Can’t “Share the Spotlight” With Tool-Using Animals

As the Ivy League war on human exceptionalism motors on, researchers’ thinking sometimes shorts out — and they don’t even notice
Their discussion of animal behavior depends wholly on the uniquely human ability to abstract. That ability also radically changes how humans use tools. Read More ›