The Research Seminar Series in Philosophy invites you to a seminar with Dorna Behdadi who will speak on the topic of "Start Button Behaviors and the Normative Capacities of Nonhuman Animals".
A recent trend within animal training, care and husbandry is the use of so-called cooperative, voluntary or collaborative training protocols (Jones, 2024; Howell & Feyrecilde, 2018; Wess et al., 2022). A key feature of such protocols is the use of start button behaviors: non-verbal cues that communicate whether the agent (e.g., a dog, chimpanzee, or other animal) opts in or out of a given interaction. While contemporary scholarly discussion has mostly concerned practical or ethical questions, like enhanced handler safety or improved animal welfare (Brando & Norman, 2023; Sydänheimo et al., 2023), start button-based protocols also carry significant philosophical implications. I suggest that start button behaviors may illustrate a more robust capacity for agency and self-determination in nonhuman animals than is commonly acknowledged. These implications warrant further exploration as they may pose important questions for how humans ought to treat other animals.
This seminar is intended primarily for presentations of PhD work and other research in philosophy conducted at the Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies. Guest lectures sometimes take place in the seminar as well. The seminars are given in English and all interested are welcome to attend these events.
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