Cognitive Neuroscience of Animal and Artificial Minds

 

Semester & Location:	Summer 2027 - Session 2 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Core Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, Psychology
Prerequisite(s):	One course in Neuroscience, Physiological Psychology, Biological Psychology, Cognitive Science or Cognitive Psychology at the university level.
Faculty Members:	Sebastian Scott Engen

 

Course Description

What does a dolphin talk about? How does a bat see with sound? Why might an elephant listen with its feet? Who taught cats to communicate with a single look? And when will AI allow us to understand each other?

This course is an expedition into the extraordinary sensory worlds of animal and artificial minds. We will journey from the ocean depths to the digital frontier, exploring how diverse species perceive and navigate their scenery, examining everything from how migratory birds use Earth’s magnetic field to how AI models construct meaning. Through engaging case studies and lively, constructive classroom dialogues you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for animal cognition and communication, and firsthand experiences with the neuroscience that both affords and is inspired by AI.

This course takes a dual approach examining both the brain’s ‘hardware’ and the mind’s ‘software.’ This perspective is essential for thinking critically about fundamental questions like consciousness, sentience, and our responsibilities toward both Animal and Artificial Minds.

So whether your passion is psychology, neuroscience, technology, or animal behaviour, you’ll find them all woven together here: Are we on the brink of decoding the languages of other species? And what can their minds reveal about the future of AI and, importantly, about ourselves?

 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

S-tudy the remarkable sensory worlds of animals through key neuroscience concepts.

E-xplore how new tools reshape our understanding of animal ‘hardware’ and AI ‘software.’

N-otice the patterns linking perception and action across human, animal, and AI studies.

S-ynthesise perception theories to compare & illustrate the unique sensory realities across species.

E-ngage in thoughtful dialogues on topics such as AI ethics and the scientific pursuit of understanding sentience.

Prerequisite

One course in Neuroscience, Physiological Psychology, Biological Psychology, Cognitive Science or Cognitive Psychology at the university level.

Context: To ensure a comprehensive understanding and active engagement in this course, students should ideally meet the following prerequisites:

○ Neuroscience Knowledge: A foundational understanding of neuroscience concepts is essential. Completing at least one introductory course in neuroscience or biological psychology is highly recommended.

○ Computational Skills: Familiarity with computational modeling will enhance the learning experience. Having taken a course in this area will be advantageous.

Study Tour: Lausanne, Switzerland

About this tour

This week-long study tour to Lausanne, set in the breathtaking Swiss Alps, invites you into the fascinating intersection of wildlife biology and cutting-edge engineering. Standing between world-renowned Swiss tech hubs and Alpine ecosystems, we take our investigation of “hardware” and “software” high into the mountains.

Here, we are not just reading about embodied intelligence; we are actively investigating how AI networks can track hidden wildlife and exploring how environments shape both bodies and minds. You will sense and savor the region’s striking contrasts, where ancient glacier ice meets the lively wildlife of ibex trails and marmot calls in the surrounding Alpine landscape. Through boots-on-the-ground field trips, you will test your own biological “hardware” against the steep terrain, experiencing the awe-inspiring and sometimes unpredictable reality of deploying delicate technology in the wild.

Learning outcomes

• Brainstorm alongside researchers in biorobotics, ethology, and machine learning at hubs like EPFL and the University of Lausanne to explore the algorithms decoding animal behavior and cognition.
• Grasp how tools from physics and data science are adapted for biology, from pattern-recognition networks developed at CERN (The birthplace of the Web) to systems that map collective intelligence in wild animal groups.
• Connect classroom theory to real-world fieldwork by comparing the precision of Swiss tech labs with the sensory richness of the Alpine wilderness, while observing wildlife tracking and bio-inspired technologies in action.

Possible activities

• Step inside spaces such as EPFL’s Biorobotics Laboratory, and UNIL’s Department of Ecology and Evolution to see embodied intelligence take physical form. You may encounter bio-inspired robotic salamanders or watch algorithms turn the behavior of insect colonies into code for autonomous drone swarms.
• Explore projects like CERN’s Ambient network to understand how AI models isolate, classify, and track the hidden sounds of local wildlife in complex outdoor environments. We will also speak directly with teams behind world-renowned animal-tracking tools like DeepLabCut.
• Trade your laptop for hiking boots on excursions to places like Glacier 3000 and the trails of Rochers de Naye. While crossing peak-to-peak suspension bridges or running down mountains, we will look for Alpine wildlife such as lynx, ibex, and marmots, and discuss how ecologists use thermal cameras and edge AI to study nature discreetly in extreme high-altitude conditions.
  

 

Students

This course is designed for students from psychology, neuroscience, biology, and computer science who are driven by a curiosity about the nature of minds. If you are intrigued by the inner lives of animals, the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, and the fundamental questions of what it means to perceive and feel, you will find a home in this interdisciplinary course.

The Copenhagen Advantage

Studying this topic in Copenhagen offers a distinct advantage, providing an urban living laboratory where theory and practice converge. You will have unique opportunities to:

• Connect theory to observation by studying the complex social dynamics of elephants at the Copenhagen Zoo, a world-class institution that allows for direct application of cognitive theories.
• Get in touch with pioneering research in bioacoustics, leveraging Copenhagen's position as a hub for scientific innovation to explore how technology is decoding the hidden conversations of the animal kingdom.
• Engage in a global dialogue on neuroethics and animal consciousness, leveraging Copenhagen's role as a center for European scientific and philosophical debate to explore the profound ethical questions recently amplified by the 2024 New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness.

The Lausanne Advantage

Extending our classroom into the Swiss Alps gives you a rare front-row seat to the cutting edge of European technology and field biology. On our Study Tour, you will:

• Test code where tech meets nature by stepping inside premier research hubs like EPFL, UNIL, and the Mathis Lab to see how tools like DeepLabCut and bio-inspired robotics reverse-engineer biological movement.
• Take data off the grid during high-altitude field excursions, observing how ecologists deploy edge AI, thermal cameras, and CERN-backed acoustic networks to track alpine wildlife in wild conditions.
• Bridge engineering and ethology by collaborating directly with researchers at the intersection of robotics, computational neuroscience, and conservation to discover what artificial systems can reveal about living minds.

This course offers a rare synthesis of hands-on fieldwork, computational methods, and critical ethical inquiry, placing you at the intersection of some of the most important scientific and philosophical questions of our time.

 

Faculty

Hi, I’m Sebastian, and I teach four courses at DIS: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Creativity, The Social Brain, Animal and AI Cognition, and Positive Psychology. Named Denmark’s “Best Tutor,” I have designed and led eight immersive courses across three Danish universities, bringing a collaborative studio energy paired with scientific rigor to the classroom. My background bridges cognitive science, interactive art, and applied artificial intelligence: I built a real-time emotion-tracking experience for the Danish science museum Experimentarium, placed second in the Danish AI Championships, and consult with welfare technology centers across Denmark on practical and ethical AI integration. Rather than delivering traditional lectures, I act as an expedition guide for our class, fostering an open workshop environment where we actively debate big questions about living and artificial minds.

 

Approach to Teaching

As your expedition guide across the landscape of living and artificial minds, I view our classroom as an active workshop and laboratory where curiosity is valued over simple memorization. Rather than delivering traditional lectures, my role is to set the stage with foundational research, enable dialogues around core theoretical questions, and help you connect your own academic interests to the material. This course lives at the dynamic intersection of neuroscience, philosophy, computer science, and ethics; together, we will grapple with dense ideas, challenge our assumptions, and build a supportive community anchored in mutual respect, collaborative inquiry, and a shared sense of wonder for the variety of minds on our planet.

 

Readings

Core Texts

• Ed Yong. (2022). An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us.
• David Poeppel, George R. Mangun, Michael S. Gazzaniga (2020). The Cognitive Neurosciences, sixth edition.
• Michael Tomasello (2022). The Evolution of Agency: Behavioral Organization from Lizards to Humans.
• Clive D. L. Wynne and Monique A. R. Udell (2021). Animal Cognition: Evolution, Behavior and Cognition, third edition.
• David Eagleman (2020). Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain.
• Andy Clark (2023). The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality.
• Frans de Waal (2016). Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?

Key Papers, Essays & Perspectives

Essential Explorations

• Boesch, C. (2021). Identifying animal complex cognition requires natural complexity.
• Bostrom, N., & Yudkowsky, E. (2014). The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. (Section 2: "Machines with Moral Status").
• Briefer, E. F., et al. (2022). Classification of pig calls produced from birth to slaughter according to their emotional valence and context of production.
• Clark, A., & Chalmers, D. (1998). The Extended Mind.
• Deaner, R. O., Isler, K., Burkart, J., & van Schaik, C. (2007). Overall brain size, and not encephalization quotient, best predicts cognitive ability across non-human primates.
• Herculano-Houzel, S. (2009). The human brain in numbers: A linearly scaled-up primate brain.
• Højer, B. (Selected Works). Representation Engineering and Definitions of Artificial Intelligence.
• Nagel, T. (1974). What Is It Like to Be a Bat?
• Pilley, J. W., & Reid, A. K. (2011). Border collie comprehends object names as verbal referents.
• Uexküll, J. von. (1934). A Stroll Through the Worlds of Animals and Men. (Focus: "The Tick" & Umwelt concept).
• Wei, J., et al. (2022). Emergent abilities of large language models.
• Yovel, Y., & Rechavi, O. (2023). AI and the Doctor Dolittle challenge.

Optional & Supplementary Perspectives

• Ball, P. (2022). The Book of Minds: How to Understand Ourselves and Other Beings, from Animals to AI to Aliens.
• Bostrom, N. (2003). Ethical Issues in Advanced Artificial Intelligence.
• Godfrey-Smith, P. (2016). Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness.
• Herzing, D. & Starner, T. (2025). DolphinGemma: How Google AI is helping decode dolphin communication.
• Interspecies.io (n.d.). Interspecies Internet: Exploring Communication.
• Linden, D. J. (Ed.). (2018). Think Tank: Forty Neuroscientists Explore the Biological Roots of Human Experience.
• Pearl, J., & Mackenzie, D. (2018). The Book of Why: The New Science of Cause and Effect.
• Schoenemann, P. T., et al. (2005). Prefrontal white matter volume is disproportionately larger in humans.
• Singer, P. (2023). Animal Liberation Now.

 

Assignments and Evaluation

Evaluation in this course relies on a constructive assessment framework. Assignments are crafted as active learning experiences that allow you to synthesize course concepts, test theoretical models against direct field observations, and communicate complex neuroscientific ideas to diverse audiences.

Summary

Assessment Component	Weight / Total Points	Deliverable & Format
Participation & Engagement	20% (20 pts)	Ongoing classroom dialogue, field study presence, and guest lecture engagement
Short Assignment 1: The "Umwelt" Field Observation	20% (20 pts)	2–3 page Field Reports
Short Assignment 2: The Interspecies / AI Ethics Op-Ed	20% (20 pts)	750–1,000 word Opinion Editorial
Final Project: The "Alien Mind" Blueprint & Showcase	35% (35 pts)	Visual Blueprint (PDF) + 5-minute verbal pitch
Final Showcase: Peer Q&A and Engagement	5% (5 pts)	Active in-class participation and peer Q&A during final session

Assignment Descriptions

1. Participation & Engagement 

Our time together will be so much richer with your active presence. This course is not about memorizing isolated facts; it is about engaging in constructive dialogue within the gray areas of intelligence, ethics, and sentience. Your participation is a direct reflection of how we build our shared learning community together.

• How we learn together:
• Be Present & Prepared: Arrive on time, having thoroughly engaged with the essential readings for the day.
• Field Studies: Actively participate in our excursions. These are mobile classrooms where theoretical models come to life.
• Guest Lectures: Prepare thoughtful questions for visiting scholars and researchers to help steer the conversation.
• Quality over Quantity: Active listening, clarifying questions, and building upon peer insights are highly valued.

2. Short Assignment 1: The "Umwelt" Field Observation 

Following our discussions on sensory bubbles (Umwelt) and our Field Study at the Copenhagen Zoo, you will step outside your human perspective. Select one specific animal species observed during the excursion and produce a field report mapping its unique sensory reality based on your field notes and Week 1 theoretical frameworks.

• Core Exploration Dimensions:
• The Physical Hardware: Describe the animal's neuro-anatomical traits and sensory adaptations shaping its perception.
• The Sensory Bubble: Identify what elements in the environment the animal prioritizes and what it likely ignores.
• Behavioral Evidence: Cite specific observed behaviors that support your theoretical map of its Umwelt.

3. Short Assignment 2: The Interspecies / AI Ethics Op-Ed 

As the boundaries between biological and artificial minds blur, public debate demands clear ethical frameworks. You will write a persuasive Opinion Editorial (Op-Ed) tailored for a general public audience (e.g., The New York Times, Wired, or Information).

• Potential Angles to Explore:
• If AI systems (e.g., DolphinGemma) decode non-human communication, what immediate ethical duties do we bear regarding two-way interaction?
• If an AI model is trained on bioacoustic data of a threatened ecosystem, can that model legally or ethically speak for the habitat?
• If an LLM exhibits traits associated with biological sentience, at what threshold do we owe it moral consideration?
• Key Requirements:
• A Confident Stance: Articulate a clear, well-reasoned position on your chosen ethical scenario.
• Grounded Imagination: Draw upon concepts discussed in Module 3 (neuroethics, moral status, active externalism).
• Public Engagement: Translate complex scientific concepts into an accessible, compelling public narrative.

4. Final Project: The "Alien Mind" Blueprint & Showcase

For your final project, you will synthesize course concepts by designing a theoretical "mind." This system can be entirely biological (an alien species), purely artificial (an advanced AI architecture), or a cybernetic hybrid. You will create a visual blueprint and deliver a 5-minute pitch during our final symposium.

• Blueprint Dimensions:
• The Hardware Architecture: Physical or digital infrastructure supporting processing.
• The Umwelt: Sensory inputs, biological sensors, or data streams defining its reality.
• The Spark of Agency: Mechanisms of action, communication, and cognitive flexibility.
• The Turing / Ethics Test: Scientific and philosophical criteria proving its sentience or moral status.

5. Final Showcase: Peer Q&A and Engagement 

A showcase relies on active dialogue. This grade evaluates your engagement during your peers' "Alien Mind" presentations on our final day.

• Expectations:
• Active Curiosity: Formulate at least one thoughtful, expansive question for a presenter.
• Supportive Presence: Maintain active listening and engagement throughout all student pitches.
• Connecting Concepts: Link peer designs back to theoretical frameworks explored throughout the term.

 

Course Policies

Attendance

We learn best together. Please plan to be at all DIS classes when scheduled. If life happens and you miss a class, send me a note by the end of that day so we can keep you in the loop. If you miss multiple classes, the Director of Teaching and Learning and the Director of Student Affairs will reach out simply to check in and support you. Absences can affect your grade and standing at DIS. Illness and religious observances are, of course, respected; for multiple absences due to illness, a doctor’s note may be required.

Academic Honesty

Your ideas matter, and so does giving credit when you build on others’. Do your own work and cite your sources. Plagiarism or violating the rules of an assignment results in a final course grade of F and may lead to dismissal. Your home university will be notified. Written work may be submitted electronically and checked with plagiarism-detection tools. Not sure what counts as proper citation or collaboration? Ask me anytime; I am happy to help.

Late Work

Life is busy. If something slips, late essays are accepted up to 3 days after the deadline. If you are hitting a wall, say so early: there is usually a smarter way than rushing at 2 a.m.

Extensions

If you need more time, please request an extension more than 24 hours before the due date.

Arriving Late

Starting together helps everyone focus. Aim to be on time. If you are late, slip in quietly, settle, and check in with me after class for anything you missed. Repeated lateness triggers a quick support check with the head of the Teaching and Learning department regarding solutions, not punishment.

Technology in Class

Laptops and tablets are welcome for learning tasks: note-taking, literature searches, and data work. Phones stay put away during class. Off-task use (email, chat, social feeds) counts against participation. If you need a quick life-check (urgent text, etc.), step out for a minute and rejoin afterwards.

Tone and Spirit

This class is a community. Clear expectations protect our time for curiosity, questions, and the kind of conversations that change how we see minds. If something is unclear or life gets loud, message me early. We will adapt, keep you in the loop, and figure it out together.

Academic Accommodations

Your learning experience matters. If you have approved DIS accommodations, please send your letter within the first two weeks so I can support you well. If there are other ways I can help you thrive through different formats, pacing, or tools, please reach out! I am always open to talk and adapt. Questions about accommodations can be directed to Academic Support at academicsupport@dis.dk.

Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

 

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