An enactivist framework, which views cognition as emerging from interaction rather than from internal mental processes, offers a better explanation of human-animal relationships than traditional theories. Focusing on play between humans and domestic dogs, the author argues that these interactions create novel, shared cognitive processes that cannot be reduced to either individual's mind. This is best understood as "sympoietic enactivism," meaning cognition is collectively produced during the interaction, rather than being self-organized (autopoietic). Drawing on multiple disciplines, the article contends that human-dog play exemplifies how thinking can be an intersubjective, playful process that generates wholly shared modes of thought.
Corvids (crows, ravens, jays) are examined through a five-dimensional framework for animal consciousness, which asks what it might be like to be a corvid. The authors propose an empirically grounded but speculative answer, drawing on existing research into corvid cognition and sentience. They then suggest future research directions and discuss how understanding corvid consciousness could inform ethical treatment and animal welfare legislation.