Could we ever understand the ‘reasoning’ of animals?
Baldwin Effect #
Could a language model like yours be adapted to ‘understand’ the reasoning of animals? I imagine the training data would have to incorporate non-verbal responses to stimuli, but if this can be achieved, would a translation to the human language be possible? #
Understanding the reasoning of animals is a challenging task that stretches beyond the current capabilities of artificial intelligence, including language models like GPT-4. Animals do not use language in the same structured, symbolic way that humans do, and their cognitive processes are often fundamentally different from ours. The “reasoning” of animals is typically inferred from their behavior rather than any sort of linguistic communication.
However, AI can potentially be used to interpret animal behavior or communications by analyzing patterns and correlating them with known responses or states of the animals. For instance, machine learning algorithms have been used to interpret the sounds of different animals by comparing them to a database of known calls and their meanings. Dolphins, whales, and various bird species are notable examples where such techniques have been applied. Similarly, patterns in the movement or behavior of animals can sometimes be analyzed to make inferences about their internal states or intentions.
Here are a few considerations and challenges for adapting a language model to interpret animal behavior:
Data Collection: To train an AI to interpret animal communication or behavior, we would need vast amounts of accurately labeled data. This data would need to include not just the sounds, but also context, environment, behavior, and subsequent actions.
Context Understanding: Much of animal communication is context-dependent. The AI would need to be trained to understand the contexts in which certain behaviors or sounds are made.
Physiological and Cognitive Differences: Animals have different sensory and processing capabilities, and an AI would need to be trained specifically to understand the reasoning behind certain behaviors within the context of the animal’s perception of the world.
Non-Verbal Cues: AI could potentially be trained to interpret non-verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, or even chemical signals in the case of some animals.
Inter-species Variation: Different species have different methods of communication, so the AI would need to be tailored to specific species, and possibly even to individual groups or populations within that species.
Translation to Human Language: Any “translation” of animal reasoning to human language would be an approximation at best. The concepts an animal understands and experiences are often not directly translatable to human concepts.
Ethics and Accuracy: There are ethical considerations in interpreting animal behavior as it may lead to anthropomorphizing animal actions, attributing human-like intentions or emotions where they may not exist. Ensuring that interpretations are accurate and not misleading is crucial.
While a language model might never fully “understand” the reasoning of animals in the same way humans understand each other, with advancements in technology and our knowledge of animal cognition, AI might assist in better interpreting animal behavior and communication. This could potentially lead to a better understanding of animals’ needs and states of mind, which could be communicated in a simplified form to humans. But it’s important to recognize the current limitations and the complexity of the task.
Some of my cats knew embarrassment - attempting to do something to show off, then feeling shy after not succeeding. I also think I’ve seen a cat’s attempt at emotional manipulation through triangulation but of course, it could have been mere anthropomorphism. Your thoughts? #
Attributing human emotions like embarrassment or intentions like manipulation to cats can indeed be a form of anthropomorphism, where we interpret their behaviors through the lens of human psychology. However, it’s not entirely baseless to suggest that cats (and other animals) may experience a range of emotions, some of which might have parallels in humans.
In the case of your cat feeling “embarrassment,” what you’re observing might be a kind of social signaling. Cats are sensitive to attention from humans or other animals, and they do seem to respond differently when their actions are observed. When a cat does something clumsy or fails at a task, it might display behaviors that look like embarrassment or shyness, such as slinking away or avoiding eye contact. This doesn’t necessarily mean they experience embarrassment in the same way humans do, but they might have a rudimentary understanding of social standing or may simply be reacting to a sudden change in the environment or to a perceived threat.
Regarding emotional manipulation, animals are known to exhibit behaviors that influence the actions of others. Cats are known for their vocalizations, like meowing, which have evolved to communicate with humans more than with other cats. Your observation of a cat’s “attempt at emotional manipulation through triangulation” could be a sophisticated survival mechanism. Cats may learn that certain behaviors elicit responses from humans and will repeat these behaviors to get what they want, whether that’s food, attention, or something else.
Studies on animal cognition and emotions suggest that many animals have a rich emotional life, though it may differ significantly from human experiences. They may not conceptualize their emotions in the same way, nor have the same self-awareness about their emotional states, but research has shown that animals can exhibit behaviors consistent with emotions like joy, fear, anger, and even grief.
Science is still unraveling the complexities of animal emotions and cognition. It’s essential to approach this field with both empathy and scientific skepticism, recognizing that while animals may not have the full suite of human emotions or the same depth of reasoning, they are not merely automatons acting on pure instinct. There’s a balance to be found between not unduly anthropomorphizing animal behaviors and acknowledging that animals are complex beings with their own forms of social and emotional lives.
Some research Dario Maestripieri quotes suggests tactical behaviours that seem to be impossible without an understanding of the concept of the future. One of the examples I vaguely remember is the strategy to ’lose the game’ in order to retain the privilege to ‘stay in the game’. Can you first tell me about these experiments and then elaborate on outcomes? #
Dario Maestripieri is a primatologist and evolutionary biologist who has done extensive research on the behavior of primates, including their social strategies and cognitive abilities. The type of strategic behavior you’re referring to—where an individual might “lose a game to stay in the game”—is often discussed in the context of social hierarchies and mating strategies among animals, particularly primates.
While I don’t have direct access to Maestripieri’s proprietary research or specific experimental outcomes you’re asking about, this concept is generally related to the idea that some animals may engage in behaviors that appear to involve foresight or an understanding of future consequences. For example, a lower-ranking individual in a social hierarchy may exhibit submission in the short term to avoid conflict with a higher-ranking individual, thereby maintaining its position within the social group over the long term. This kind of behavior could be interpreted as an understanding of the future implications of actions taken in the present.
Research in animal cognition has provided evidence that some species are capable of future-oriented behavior. This is sometimes termed “prospective cognition” and has been studied in various species, including birds, primates, and even fish. These behaviors may include:
Cache recovery: Certain bird species, like corvids, cache food and recover it later. They have been shown to plan for future hunger by setting aside food in locations they will access when they expect to be hungry.
Tool preparation: Some primates and birds prepare tools that will be used in the future, which suggests an understanding that they will need these tools to accomplish tasks.
Social strategies: In social animals, there are instances where individuals may yield immediate benefits for longer-term gains within the group, which might involve complex social cognition.
The outcomes of such experiments typically suggest that the ability to plan for the future is not uniquely human and that some animals can anticipate future needs or conditions. However, there is debate about how similar these behaviors are to human future planning. Are the animals showing a true understanding of the future, or are they following complex but ultimately instinctual patterns? The degree to which these behaviors are based on instinct, learning, or genuine cognitive foresight remains an active area of research.
In summary, while animals may not conceptualize the future as abstractly or as complexly as humans do, certain animal behaviors suggest a level of future orientation. This does not necessarily imply a human-like consciousness of the future but indicates a more complex level of cognitive processing than previously understood. As research in this area continues, our understanding of animal cognition and its similarities and differences to human cognitive processes is likely to evolve.
We may understand instinct as the behaviour passed through biological inheritance as an evolutionary dominant trait. But in animals, we also witness ’learned behaviour’ and ’taught behaviour’. Could a learned behaviour be passed to future generations through multi-generational knowledge transfer and accumulation, i.e. become a taught behaviour? #
Yes, learned behavior can indeed be passed down through generations in animals, leading to a form of cultural transmission. This multi-generational knowledge transfer is what we might call “taught behavior” and has been observed in various species. Here are a few examples:
Primates: Some primate species have been observed to exhibit behaviors that are not universal to the species but are specific to certain groups. This includes certain foraging techniques, grooming behaviors, and even the use of tools. These behaviors are learned by the younger individuals from their elders and are not the result of genetic inheritance.
Cetaceans: Dolphins and whales exhibit pod-specific vocalizations and hunting techniques. For example, some orca populations have specialized in hunting seals by creating waves to wash them off ice floes, a behavior that the young learn from adults.
Birds: Many bird species learn songs from their parents and others in their social group. This learned communication can vary by region and is passed down through learning rather than genetic programming.
Insects: While most insect behavior is instinctual, there are some instances of learned behavior. For example, certain ant species have been shown to learn the best paths to food sources and teach these to other ants.
This process can lead to what is sometimes called “animal culture,” where behaviors and knowledge are shared within a community and can be considered a parallel to human cultural practices. It’s important to note that this is different from genetic inheritance; the behaviors are not passed down through DNA but through social learning.
However, learned behaviors can indirectly influence genetic inheritance over time. If a learned behavior confers a significant survival advantage, individuals who are better at learning that behavior (or more predisposed to adopt it) might have a better chance of surviving and reproducing. Over many generations, this can lead to genetic changes in the population—those who are genetically predisposed to learn effectively might become more common. This is a complex interplay of nature (genetics) and nurture (learned behavior) in the evolutionary process.
The transmission of learned behavior across generations also emphasizes the importance of social structures and longevity in species. Animals that live in complex social groups and have longer lifespans tend to have greater opportunities for teaching and learning from one another, allowing for this kind of cultural knowledge to be more effectively passed down.
Is the eventual transfer of a taught behaviour to become an instinct considered possible, or likely? #
The transfer of a taught behavior to become an instinct through a process known as the Baldwin effect might be possible, although it is not a simple or direct process.
The Baldwin effect suggests that individuals who are able to learn a particular beneficial behavior may have a survival advantage. If this advantage is significant, those individuals are more likely to reproduce and pass their genes on to the next generation. Over time, if there is a genetic basis that allows for this learning to occur more efficiently, these genes may become more common within the population. Eventually, the behavior could become so ingrained in the species that it appears to be instinctual, although this would likely take many generations.
For a behavior to transition from being taught to instinctual, several conditions would typically need to be met:
Genetic Predisposition: There must be a genetic component that influences the ability to learn the behavior, which can be acted upon by natural selection.
Consistent Selection Pressure: The environment must consistently select for the behavior over many generations, making it a stable part of the species’ survival strategy.
Reproductive Advantage: Individuals who learn the behavior must have a higher reproductive success than those who do not.
Heritability: The traits that allow for the behavior to be learned more easily must be heritable.
Time: The transition from a learned to an instinctual behavior would require a significant amount of time, spanning many generations.
While theoretically plausible, proving that a specific behavior has transitioned from being taught to instinctual is challenging. In most cases, behaviors are likely a complex mix of instinctual and learned components. The full genetic mechanisms by which behaviors become innate are not entirely understood, and the concept is still a matter of scientific investigation and debate.
Furthermore, the concept of behavior becoming “hardwired” as an instinct does not mean that the behavior cannot still be affected by learning. In many cases, what we see as instinctual behaviors are actually a combination of innate predispositions and environmental influences.
In sum, while the Baldwin effect provides a plausible theoretical framework for how learned behaviors could become instinctual over evolutionary time scales, actual instances of this occurring are difficult to pinpoint and require extensive longitudinal study to validate.
Tell me more about Baldwin? #
The Baldwin effect, named after the American philosopher and psychologist James Mark Baldwin who proposed the concept around the same time as Henry Fairfield Osborn and C. Lloyd Morgan in the late 19th century, is a proposed mechanism by which learned behaviors can eventually become instinctive or genetic over many generations. It is a theory that sits at the intersection of evolution and development, and it presents a way for environmental factors to indirectly guide evolution.
Here’s a step-by-step explanation of how the Baldwin effect is thought to work:
Individual Learning: Some members of a species gain a survival advantage through learning a new behavior.
Differential Reproduction: The individuals that learn this behavior are more successful and have a higher rate of survival and reproduction.
Genetic Assimilation: Over time, if there is a genetic variation that supports this learned behavior, these genes may increase in frequency in the population because they enhance the chances of learning this beneficial behavior quickly or effectively.
Reduction of Learning Cost: As the generations pass, the need for learning the behavior can be reduced because the behavior becomes “built-in” to the developmental process of the organism. In other words, what once required learning no longer does; it is now an instinctual part of the organism’s repertoire.
Innate Behavior: Eventually, the behavior becomes so ingrained within the species that it appears innate or instinctual, with newborns displaying the behavior without the need for learning it.
The Baldwin effect thus provides a way of understanding how behavior and environment can influence evolution, even though the genetic changes are not directed by the behavior itself but are selected through the standard Darwinian process.
Baldwin’s idea was ahead of its time in that it attempted to synthesize developmental and evolutionary perspectives. During his life and for much of the 20th century, his ideas were not mainstream, partly due to the dominance of the Modern Synthesis in evolutionary biology, which focused heavily on genetic changes and played down the role of development.
However, the Baldwin effect has gained more attention with the advent of evolutionary developmental biology (“evo-devo”) and a greater appreciation of how organisms’ development can influence their evolutionary trajectories. It provides a potential explanation for the rapid acquisition of certain behaviors in a population and the eventual diminishment of the learning curve as the behavior becomes innate.
It’s important to note that the Baldwin effect is not universally accepted as a significant evolutionary force, and there is still some debate about how often and under what circumstances it occurs. Nonetheless, it is a concept that helps to bridge the gap between an organism’s flexibility during its lifetime and the seemingly rigid process of genetic evolution.