In a new book, a philosopher examines whether animals can grasp mortality—from dogs mourning owners to orcas grieving young.
What does it mean to understand death? For centuries, philosophers have argued that only humans can truly comprehend mortality. But what if they’re wrong?
In this episode of the Big Brains podcast, philosopher Susana Monsó, author of Playing Possum: How Animals Understand Death (Princeton University Press, 2024), digs into whether animals can grasp their own mortality.
From grieving elephants to corpse-removing ants and possums that play dead, Monsó explains what animal behavior reveals about their concept of death. Do dogs understand when their owners pass away? Do predators recognize a corpse as different from prey? And what does this mean for how we treat animals?
Source: University of Chicago
