Dolphin

• Inspired by Dr. Jane Goodall and the Templeton Prize, the research initiative will support three National Geographic Explorers as they seek to uncover critical insights into animal behavior
  WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Geographic Society announced today the launch of the Wildlife Intelligence Project , an initiative that will fund and follow three National Geographic Explorers as they embark on animal cognition and behavior research that will potentially adapt how humans view, interact and connect with wildlife.
• "We are proud to launch the Wildlife Intelligence Project and to support and empower the next generation of scientists committed to furthering Dr. Goodall's legacy of inspiring people to take action to protect the wonder of our world," said Ian Miller, Chief Scientist and Innovation Officer, National Geographic Society.
• We are pleased to be partnering with the National Geographic Society on the Wildlife Intelligence Project and look forward to seeing what new insights we can gain."
• The work being done by the recipients of the Wildlife Intelligence Project is essential to developing a better understanding of human-animal behavior and the healthy functioning of our planet.

• Halaban has done a titanic job assembling all those clips from different sources, mixing them with Stravinsky's music, and turning it all into one coherent, huge piece of multimedia.
• It's hard to put into words, but it's just the way it is.
• These shorts together form a colorful collection of high-quality YouTube content pieces, available on the channel's Shorts tab.
• 'The whole Petrushka project has been a rollercoaster, and I could not be happier with the end result,' says Halaban.

• “Why did you do that?” someone might ask their dog.
• Or we might scold the cat – “Don’t touch that!” – as we move a family heirloom across the room.
• As an ethical theorist, I’ve explored these and related questions, including with some of my colleagues in psychology and anthropology.
• I would argue it is important to distinguish three types of learning: conditioning, instruction and education.

Conditioning

• By repeatedly ringing a bell while presenting food, Pavlov famously induced dogs to salivate from the bell ring alone.
• Such learning proceeds merely from associating two types of stimuli: a sound and a snack, in this case.
• In operant conditioning, positive or pleasurable stimuli are used to reinforce desired behavior, and negative or painful stimuli are used to deter undesired behavior.

• The kind of learning that operant conditioning aims to achieve, however, lacks a crucial ingredient of human punishment: responsibility.
• They are trying to drive home that someone has transgressed – that the individual’s behavior merits punishment.

Instruction

• It involves a more sophisticated kind of learning: instruction.
• One important way instruction differs from conditioning is that an instructor addresses their trainee.
• Instruction involves understanding, whereas learning based on mere conditioning does not.

• Scientists do not know exactly which animals’ cognition involves understanding, genuine problem-solving and the ability to reason or infer.
• An owner should have concern for their pet frog, of course, and care for its needs.
• But they do not need to recognize the frog the same way they should recognize a dog: by addressing it, listening to it and comforting it.

Education

• Still, scientists do not possess strong evidence that animals have critical thinking abilities or a concept of self, the key requirements for genuine education.
• Unlike conditioning and instruction, education aims to enable a learner to explain the world, to evaluate and debate rationales for decisions.

• Much of the time, human beings do not concern themselves with these questions, either – but they can.
• In fact, caretakers pay great attention to these matters during child-rearing, as when they ask children, “How would you like it if someone did that to you” or “Do you really think it’s OK to act that way?” Assuming that animals do not reflect and criticize, and therefore are not capable of education, I would say that they have no moral obligations.
• But that’s not the nature of our relationships with our pets – however tempted we may be to think otherwise.

Jon Garthoff does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• The series brings you up close and personal with the environmental guardians making a real difference on the planet.
• Each episode is a bite-sized window into Age of Union's world, showcasing the highs and lows of conservation efforts.
• In 2024, Age of Union is sustaining its momentum by executive producing three additional film projects crafted by renowned figures in the industry.
• "Film possesses an unparalleled capacity to evoke emotion, challenge perspectives, and inspire change," says Dax Dasilva, Founder of Age of Union.