Question

In the study of scholastic philosophy, I'm struggling with this question for a while:

It seems like dogs do know what dogs are. Aquinas states that animals have perception, capable of complex cognition:

Answer 1

According to Aquinas, dogs have perception and can recognize other dogs based on their senses and past experiences.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Aquinas, animals have perception, which includes the ability for complex cognition. So, it can be argued that dogs have an understanding of what dogs are. While they may not have the same level of self-awareness and abstract thinking as humans, they can perceive and recognize other dogs based on their senses and past experiences.

For example, when a dog barks and jumps excitedly when you pick up the leash, it can be interpreted as a form of communication. The dog has associated the action of picking up the leash with going for a walk. Similarly, young children like Abdul learn to recognize and name dogs based on their interactions and exposure to dogs.

While dogs may not have a conceptual understanding of the abstract idea of a dog, they can still recognize and perceive other dogs as similar beings based on their physical characteristics and behaviors.