This lecture will explore the evolution of intelligence in animals and humans.
In the first half of the lecture, Prof. Maestripieri will discuss different definitions of intelligence, examine the relationship between
intelligence and brain size across different species, and review several hypotheses for the evolution of large brain size and high intelligence in primates.
The second half of the lecture will focus on different aspects of intelligence in nonhuman primates and in humans, including the capacity for self-recognition, self-awareness, and
complex social cognition involving a theory of mind. Prof. Maestripieri will explore studies of theory of mind in nonhuman primates in relation to attention, visual perception, knowledge acquisition, and understanding of others’ mental states including intentionality, beliefs, knowledge and ignorance, communication, deception, imitation, and teaching.
Finally, the lecture will conclude with some remarks about the relationship between the evolution of intelligence and the emergence of culture in nonhuman primates and humans.
The lecture is part of the series “Dalla cellula alla civiltà:un viaggio nell’evoluzione dell’informazione”, organized by the PhD students of the International PhD College.