Abstract

CRELIER, Andrés. Reasons without language: the case of non-human animals. arete [online]. 2016, vol.28, n.2, pp.263-281. ISSN 1016-913X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.18800/arete.201602.003.

The paper puts forward the thesis that non-human animals are able to operate with reasons. It argues that the flexible individual conduct is evidence of instrumental rationality and that the context of a practical problem -like tool use by chimpanzees- points toward the existence of deliberative thought. Reasons can be seen as mental representations and deliberation as a way to operate with series of representations. Finally, it is suggested that a communicative infrastructure -such as the one elucidated by Tomasello- makes it possible to communicate reasons without language.

Keywords : reasons; language; non-human animals; action; communication.

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