Can animals make rational decisions

Answer 1

Animals DO have the ability to rationalize HOWEVER their brains are not set up like humans. I know that Elephants and Whales have larger brains than humans so it should NOT be surprising at all for them to be able to rationalize a lot better than humans. The problem with most animals is that they go more in emotion or instinct rather than rationalization. There was a news report of a pig that risked its life to save its human family from a burning house. People tend to say animals are inferior and etc but that is not true at all. Animals and humans are pretty much the same. The only difference is that humans tend to rationalize a lot more than other animals.

Not only does this answer not make sense but it is arbitrary. One's love for animals or his emotional need to take care of them is neither a case for rationality in non-human animals, nor their equality to man nor that they have emotions past pain and pleasure.

Rationality (not 'rationalization' btw) is not measured by brain size.

Emotion is not the equivalent of instinct.

The pig's intention can never be proved.

Here are some facts:

Unlike humans, no non-human can willingly and knowingly act toward its own destruction.

This proves the unique power of volition (choice) in man.

With the power to choose comes the power to judge. Which choice is best.

Best for what? Man's life.

Best to whom? The man choosing.

The part of us that does this judging is our Faculty of Reason. Our rational mind.

A very hungry, healthy dog is incapable of refusing viable food available to him. He eats because it is both pleasurable to eat and painful if he does not.

He certainly won't refuse it because he is overweight. LOL.

Answer 2

Nobody Knows For Sure. They Can't Look Into The Animals Mind. Good Question.