WHO?: Dr. ANNA ALBIACH SERRANO (UCH-CEU)
WHAT?: What primates and corvids say about the evolution of our cognitive traits
WHEN?: Thursday 30/6/2016 – 12:00 h
WHERE?: Seminar Room ICBiBE (SS6)
ABSTRACT:
What makes us human? Tool use, cooperation and culture are some of the traits that were proposed in the past to be distinctively ours. However, they were put in question as soon as examples of these skills were found in other animals. The problem was one of approach. As any other species, throughout evolutionary history we have retained traits from our ancestors while we have also accumulated changes. Therefore, when it comes to defining us it is important to consider both similarities and differences -and not only differences- with other species. This comparative approach becomes even more necessary if we are to tackle the difficult task of disentangling the web of divergences and convergences that brought us to be as we are. I will present some studies done with several primate and corvid species on cognitive aspects that have generated debate in the last years, like cooperation and the capacity to use tools.
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