Animal Intelligence and Epistemology Epistemology is defined as the area of ​​philosophy that deals with questions concerning knowledge and that considers various theories of knowledge. There are many paths to follow in epistemology, including skepticism, rationalism, empiricism, constructivism, and epistemological relativism, all of which offer very different views for explaining how people know things. These views are primarily concerned with human intelligence and largely ignore animal intelligence in the creation of their theories, but animal intelligence could play a critical role in the development of epistemological theories. This question has been controversial, especially in recent years, when research has revealed that animals' thoughts most likely extend beyond instinct and conditioning, as BF Skinner and Rene Descartes once thought. Today, the question of whether animals in addition to humans possess intelligence is prevalent and can help humans better understand the intricate concept of epistemology. The concept of intelligence is itself controversial. There are several definitions of intelligence, including the Russian artificial intelligence researcher's definition that an intelligent being provides intelligent answers to intelligent questions (animal intelligence). Webster's dictionary defines intelligence simply as the ability to learn, reason, understand, and similar forms of mental activity (Webster). In an article for The Nature Institute, intelligence is defined as “the ability to cope with new and unexpected situations through rapid and effective adjustment of behavior” (Holdrege). So, with a vague definition of intelligence, it is difficult to determine whether or not animals exhibit intelligence. To satisfy the... middle of the card ......or not wantonly destroy one's environment for any personal gain; they do what they have to to survive and nothing more. Some might say it displays more intelligence than humans are capable of. Works Cited “Animal Intelligence.” June 24, 2001. February 18, 2007. Holdrege, Craig. “Elephantine Intelligence”. The Nature Institute. “Inside the Animal Mind.” NATURE. February 18, 2007Viegas, Jennifer. “Animal intelligence resists definition.” News on the discovery. June 6, 2006. February 18, 2007. Webster's Dictionary.