Making a 'pass'

摘要

Clever as these behaviours are, they may nevertheless lack one important characteristic of human thought, called "metacognition". This is the ability to monitor and contro memories and perceptions, allowing us to think that, "I know that I know this" or "I'm not sure that I'm right", or to feel that someone's name is on the tip of your tongue. According to David Smith of the State University of New York, Buffalo, its importance to human thought is comparable to that of language and tool use. Evidence for metacognition in other animals would therefore strike a blow for the existence of the animal mind.