For a long time, scientists who valued their own credibility were very careful to avoid anthropomorphizing their animal subjects.

If an animal did something resembling human behavior, problem-solving tool use, affection

between individuals, observers were expected to ignore the apparent similarity to human consciousness

and cognition and emotion and assume that animal was operating largely on instinct. Doesn't that

sound like ignoring an elephant in the room? From KERA in Dallas,

this is think. I'm Chris Boyd. The tides have turned on all this as we learn more about both

human and animal cognition, including the fact that we share evolutionary roots and that many of

the same hormones that shape our perceptions and behaviors exist in other species.

And now that we understand that animals have recognizable versions of intelligence and even emotions,

there are new questions arising about what kinds of rights and protections they deserve.

Journalist Brandon Kime is author of the book Meet the Neighbors, Animal Minds and Life in a More Than Human

World.

Brandon, welcome to think.

Hey, it's nice to be here, Chris.

Thank you.

You write about this realization that the animals living near your home are your neighbors.

And by that, I guess you mean you thought of them as individuals rather than just random squirrels and birds?

That's right.

You know, every, I think of them, I think of them all as someone.

And then also, you know, that idea of neighborliness, it also sort of includes the idea that it's not, it's not like they are intruding

on a human space, but rather that our communities, you know, are truly more than human communities

and their shared places rather than just belonging to us. When we think about any creature

...