Lectures on Tap -The Science of Animal Consciousness: Smarter Than We Think

📍 Location: Exact address given in confirmation email

🧠 Lecture: "The Science of Animal Consciousness: Smarter Than We Think"

🎤 Speaker: Professor Michael Cohen

For most of Western history, animals were dismissed as little more than biological machines. Some of the brightest minds of the past even argued that animals couldn’t feel pain. Today, that view is increasingly difficult to defend.

In this eye-opening talk, Professor Michael Cohen traces how our understanding of animal minds has evolved—from philosophical denial to rigorous scientific investigation—and then dives into what modern research actually shows.

You’ll hear about cats perceiving visual illusions much like humans do, species capable of basic arithmetic, primates and dolphins recognizing themselves in mirrors, and other striking findings that reveal rich inner lives across the animal kingdom.

Together, this evidence challenges the sharp boundary we’ve long drawn between human and animal minds, with far-reaching implications for science, ethics, and animal rights.

Professor Michael Cohen is a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at Amherst College and a Research Scientist at M.I.T.

Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌

Agenda

6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.

6:55 PM – Host introduction

7:00 PM – Lecture begins

7:45 PM – Audience Q&A

8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round

8:30 PM – Wrap up.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Felecia For The Win