Three levels of animal rationality

This paper sketches out a framework for thinking about animal rationality. It distinguishes three levels of animal rationality, or ways in which behav iours can be described as rational. These levels of rationality differ acco rding to (i) whether they concern patterns of behaviour rather than individ ual behaviours; (ii) whether a process of decision-making is involved; (iii ) whether the decision-making involves a simple choice between courses of a ction (Fight vs Flee) or an assessment and comparison of the consequences o f such courses of action. The lowest level of rationality is applicable eve n to tropistic behaviours, while the third level is the level of genuine ps ychological explanation.