Do you believe animals have metacognition? Some studies shown that macaque monkeys and dolphins might have them. If so, does metacognition require the species to have a language not limited to sounds and gestures in able to identify or be aware of their thoughts and feelings? I am curious what are your opinions on this...

Yes, but you should probably specify "which animals."

Yes. Humans are one example. Possibly other species as well.

Yes, my cat never does anything he's not allowed to, like clawing on the couch, but when I don't give him food within a minute of him starting to meow for it, he starts clawing on the couch and looks right at me with a smug face, never otherwise, he also knows that pulling the blinds downwards will make me pull them up so he can look out the window and more.

 

parrots are one good example, they choose what to play with and they sing along to songs.

Let's do the experiment.

 

Don't think of an elephant.

 

If you thought of an elephant, even briefly, then you have evidence that humans can't reliably control their won thoughts.

 

It's OK- you can think of elephants again now.

Off the top of my head I'd have to say it's such a confused term that only humans do it.

 

Animals think, they are conscious, and they can even recognize that they use language to think. But beyond this I seriously doubt that they or ancient man had much use for thinking about thinking. It is a product of language rather than thought or necessity. There can be nothing to gain for them to think about thought. It wouldn't cross their minds.

 

I could be wrong and God knows I've put a lot of thought into thinking.