### Grasping Death Through Animal Perspectives: A Dialogue with Susana Monsó
Humans navigate life each day with an awareness of our eventual demise. But are animals similarly conscious of this reality? This intriguing question has captivated scientists over the years, as observations of certain animal behaviors imply an awareness of death. For example, ants have been seen participating in what resemble “funerals,” chimpanzees gather around deceased peers, and a mother whale was known to carry her deceased calf for a fortnight in what appeared to be a mourning ritual. Such behaviors prompt the inquiry: Do animals comprehend death, and if they do, how?
Philosopher **Susana Monsó**, an esteemed authority on animal cognition, behavior, and ethics at the National Distance Education University (UNED) in Madrid, Spain, has devoted extensive time to investigating this issue. Her research culminated in the book *Playing Possum: How Animals Understand Death* (Princeton University Press), which explores the nascent field of **comparative thanatology**—the examination of how animals respond to death and the dying process. Monsó’s work challenges human-centered perspectives on death and presents a philosophical framework for understanding how animals might perceive death in ways that are distinct from our own interpretations.
### The Rise of Comparative Thanatology
Comparative thanatology is a budding field that aims to shed light on how animals recognize and respond to death. Monsó’s interest in this subject emerged from her observation of a multitude of field studies detailing the reactions of various species to death. “I recognized that a new discipline was forming that required a philosophical approach to clarify its foundational concepts,” she shared in an interview with **Ars Technica**. Her philosophical exploration of animal mortality was also fueled by her desire to understand better and perhaps reconcile with her own mortality.
In *Playing Possum*, Monsó posits that the idea of death is not exclusive to humans but is prevalent throughout the animal world. She critiques the human-centric bias that frequently governs discussions surrounding death, asserting that animals may possess their own unique ways of comprehending and responding to death, even if these differ from human experiences.
### The Contribution of Philosophy to Comparative Thanatology
Monsó asserts that philosophy is essential in guiding scientific exploration, especially in areas like comparative thanatology. “Engaging in philosophy is integral to science,” she claims, noting that philosophical considerations inform decisions regarding research inquiries, methodologies, and data interpretation. Philosophers are adept at conceptual analysis, which can aid scientists in refining definitions and steering clear of biases that could distort their findings.
One of the biases Monsó identifies in comparative thanatology is **anthropocentrism**—the inclination to use human experiences and understanding as the benchmark for evaluating all other species. She differentiates between two variations of anthropocentrism: **intellectual anthropocentrism**, which presupposes that animals possess either a human-like concept of death or none at all, and **emotional anthropocentrism**, which regards grief as the primary response to death. Monsó contends that concentrating solely on human-centered reactions may cause scientists to miss other ways animals might comprehend or react to death.
### A Simplified Concept of Death
In her book, Monsó proposes a **minimal concept of death**, providing a flexible lens to understand how various species might conceptualize death. This minimal concept accommodates differences both among species and within individual animals. For Monsó, the minimal definition recognizes the irreversible cessation of life functions, regardless of whether animals ascribe the same symbolic or emotional weight to death as humans do.
This perspective allows for a range of understandings, from species that might grasp a basic notion of death to those that may display more intricate behaviors like mourning or grief. Monsó highlights that animals need not possess a human-like understanding of death for their behaviors to hold significance. Instead, their responses to death may be influenced by their own experiences, cognitive capacities, and emotional reactions.
### The Triad: Cognition, Experience, and Emotion
Monsó and her colleague Antonio Osuna Mascaró established a framework they refer to as the **holy trinity** of understanding death, comprising cognition, experience, and emotion. These three elements, to varying extents, contribute to an animal’s capacity to formulate a concept of death. Monsó clarifies that animals with stronger cognitive abilities may require fewer encounters with death to develop an understanding, while animals with greater exposure to death might not need to be as cognitively advanced to grasp the concept.
This framework promotes flexibility and acknowledges that distinct species—and even individuals within a species—may cultivate varying degrees of comprehension based on their particular experiences and cognitive capabilities.
### Can Animals Comprehend Their Own Mortality?
One of the most profound inquiries Monsó examines is whether animals can grasp the notion of their own mortality. While humans are conscious of their eventual demise, largely influenced by cultural narratives and
