Sounds like an interesting book, definitely one I will consider reading. Had to look up the word erudite as I had never heard that one before...lol.
I totally agree with the idea we often misinterpret the reasons behind our observations. It is good to see they are considering animals may not display a skill due to a physical limitation as opposed to a mental limitation.
One technique I find useful in regards to understanding what is going on in the brain of animals including humans is observing eye movement and physical movement. For instance, a dog makes a quick decision to move towards a goal, but is very slow to change it's path if the position of the goal changes. Cats on the other hand take longer to decide on a course of action and are quick to change their path if the goal changes position. This is just my observation and not scientifically verified.
