What Is It Like To Be A Bat? Do Animals Think?

Name: Instructor: Institution: Date: What is it Like to Be a Bat? Do animals think? Introduction In "What is it Like to Be a Bat?” Professor Thomas Nagel states that consciousness has a subjective character to it; a ‘what it is like’ feature. According to him, even though the feelings or experiences of another individual or creature can be imagined, no one but that particular individual can feel exactly what the sensation is. In other terms, Nagel insists that empathy is effective, but only just to some particular extent. Bats’ and Human Perspective The similarity of human beings to bats is perhaps one major reason why he opted for bats in his argument. From the empathetic feelings to the fact that both humans and bats are warm blooded, it comes through rather clearly (Bates, 2012). Even though they possess various similarities to humans, there is an underlying realization that these two entities don’t really match in everything. Bats possess various complex aspects or systems that altogether separate their perceptions from those of humans. As a result, it becomes quite tough to feel exactly what they feel. Consciousness, as Nagel believes, is a product of a subjective point of view (Bates, 2012). This is to say that organism posses a mindful condition if and only if there is something unique that makes other organisms want to be like that organism. However, critics have objected strongly to Nagel work by indicating that they see it as a imprudent effort to reason how organisms represents the world using experiences that cannot be comprehensively explained. Nevertheless, Nagel clearly illustrates that animals think because they are perfectly acquainted within their mental states. Do Bats Think? Upon reading Nagel’s article, it can be said that animals do think. Understanding this needs one to view the whole thing from the perspective of the animal, and not a second person perspective. The fact that animals have a brain makes it possible for them to not only perceive but also process information from their environment, and hence make certain decisions or actions in relation to the same. Unlike plants or even machines, animals have the ability to make decisions and act on these decisions. Similarly, in its own life as a bat, it has the ability to decipher and act based on the same (Nagel, 1974). It would be absolute injustice for a human being to entirely dismiss the fact that a bat also thinks and perceives, just becaus...