Dr. Bill von Hippel

And so my guess is our complex communication began with them.

And so my guess is our complex communication began with them.

He doesn't know why you're upset.

He doesn't know why you're upset.

But he can't think about the past and the future and link it to... We know from psychology that if you want to punish an animal for pooing, which is effective if you do, you shouldn't rub their nose in it, things that aren't nice, but punishment is very effective. If you punish them for pooing, you're a bad girl, you do it right away, they'll stop pooing in your house.

But he can't think about the past and the future and link it to... We know from psychology that if you want to punish an animal for pooing, which is effective if you do, you shouldn't rub their nose in it, things that aren't nice, but punishment is very effective. If you punish them for pooing, you're a bad girl, you do it right away, they'll stop pooing in your house.

Yeah, because he now knows that when you find a poo in the house, he gets in trouble. When you find a torn up furniture, he gets in trouble. He knows that. That's an association. Dogs are really, really good about learning associations. And so all that he doesn't, you know, when he tears it up, first of all, he's poor self-control because it's a dog.

Yeah, because he now knows that when you find a poo in the house, he gets in trouble. When you find a torn up furniture, he gets in trouble. He knows that. That's an association. Dogs are really, really good about learning associations. And so all that he doesn't, you know, when he tears it up, first of all, he's poor self-control because it's a dog.

But second of all, he can't think about, uh-oh, in the future, Stephen's going to come home and he's going to be pissed. But now when you do come home and he's like looking over the torn couch, he's like, uh-oh, I'm in trouble. And so he knows for a while what's coming.

But second of all, he can't think about, uh-oh, in the future, Stephen's going to come home and he's going to be pissed. But now when you do come home and he's like looking over the torn couch, he's like, uh-oh, I'm in trouble. And so he knows for a while what's coming.

Yeah, and you're going to yell at him. And he also knows that if he does in front of you, you'll yell at him. And if he poops in front of you, you'll yell at him. So he knows all those things, but he can't think about the future. So take an animal way smarter than a dog, a monkey, right? or even a chimp, let's get way smarter. Chimps can't plan for tomorrow the way a human can.

Yeah, and you're going to yell at him. And he also knows that if he does in front of you, you'll yell at him. And if he poops in front of you, you'll yell at him. So he knows all those things, but he can't think about the future. So take an animal way smarter than a dog, a monkey, right? or even a chimp, let's get way smarter. Chimps can't plan for tomorrow the way a human can.

So if you feed a chimp or a monkey or any of these animals as much food as they want, but only one meal a day, they don't like that because they like to eat several meals a day, just like we do. But they'll never go, I'm going to stash some of my food because I'm going to get hungry at 5 p.m. today because I'm only fed at 2. It never occurs to them day after day after day to stash it.

So if you feed a chimp or a monkey or any of these animals as much food as they want, but only one meal a day, they don't like that because they like to eat several meals a day, just like we do. But they'll never go, I'm going to stash some of my food because I'm going to get hungry at 5 p.m. today because I'm only fed at 2. It never occurs to them day after day after day to stash it.

When they're full, they'll literally throw it at each other because they can't think about a world that has unfelt needs. All they can think about is the world where their needs are the same as they are right now. And because we can project our mind into the future, we know there's going to be a world with all sorts of unfelt needs. I'll be hungry again. I'll be cold. I'll be whatever.

When they're full, they'll literally throw it at each other because they can't think about a world that has unfelt needs. All they can think about is the world where their needs are the same as they are right now. And because we can project our mind into the future, we know there's going to be a world with all sorts of unfelt needs. I'll be hungry again. I'll be cold. I'll be whatever.

But some animals store food, don't they? They do, but they do it automatically. They don't go, oh, it's going to be – like, for example, squirrels who bury nuts will do that if they've never been through a winter. So they don't go, uh-oh, I was cold last winter. I better store some nuts because there weren't many around. They just have evolved to store nuts when –

But some animals store food, don't they? They do, but they do it automatically. They don't go, oh, it's going to be – like, for example, squirrels who bury nuts will do that if they've never been through a winter. So they don't go, uh-oh, I was cold last winter. I better store some nuts because there weren't many around. They just have evolved to store nuts when –

weather starts to get cold or whatever their signal is.

weather starts to get cold or whatever their signal is.