SUMMARY

EXTREME PERCEPTION AND ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE , author Temple Gradin

discusses the controversy that there are animals that show unique traits to
be aware of their surroundings.
One case is the seizure respond dogs; they are animals that are trained to
help people when a seizure is happening. These dogs acquire extreme
perceptions that allow them to predict seizures before it starts, seizure alert
dogs display this behavior. They can fathom and recognize the invisible
signs of a seizure. Temple Grandin states, ''These dogs are showing
superior intelligence the same way a human.''
Another case is with Wilhelm Von Osten whose horse, Clever Hans,
apparently was able to count and answer mathematical questions, it is the
other case of true cognition. He discerned between different alternatives to
answer to his questioners. Oskar Pfungst, a psychologist, showed that he
was not counting, he only detected human signs to answer. ''Clever Hans
wasn't trained by someone, but he just trained himself to read human cues,''
Temple Gradin mentions, '' What makes Hans similar to seizure alert dogs
is that both Hans and the dogs acquired their skills without human help.''
Temple Gradin concludes, ''What makes the actions of the seizure alert
dogs, and probably of Hans, too, a sign of high intelligence.''