ABSTRACT
There is a convention among psychologists and neuroscientists that leads us to refer to ‘the’ brain, no matter whether we are talking about hamsters or humans. In other words, we act as if the brain of one species is very much like that of another. This is a convenient fiction that allows us to carry out research on non-human species, but it is by no means clear that it is true. The degree of similarity between the brain of one species and that of another should not be taken for granted. It is an empirical matter that requires careful investigation. As things stand at present it seems more appropriate to talk about ‘brains’ than about ‘the brain’. In this chapter I want, first of all, to outline some of the reasons for believing that different types of animal have different types of brain, and second, to discuss ways of getting round some of the difficulties created when we want to make extrapolations between species.
