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I see above that Nana and Molly have a heated debate on what the neocortex actually does. And I must admit, I seriously have no clue.

But I remember in class when Dr. Grobstein asked the question of what is the difference between mammals and all other organisms, we had a lot of things to list. There are simply so many evolutionary traits that provided the mammals with the ability to survive into the status that they have reached now (or we...haha.oopz.).

Anyways, i see that some suspect that the neocortex provides the ability of mammals to communicate or learn, and then there are questions applying to other organisms that have a way of communicating. Then comes in the aspect of learning and instinct vs. non-instinctual (is that even a word?) behavior.

I think that we need to stop setting this boundary. Yes, some can argue that the sophistication of mammals' behavior vs. non-mammalian behavior is much higher, but if you think about the traits that evolved in mammals, the abilities required to pursue those evolutionary traits are not all instinct or not our instincts. It is all a mixture of consciously thinking and performing certain behaviors as well as also having the instinct to notice the fact that one is given these traits. Thus, the neocortex is probably a supplementary add-on along with the rest of the evolutionary traits of mammals in order to completely know how to take care of themselves. It's probably, really not that complicated.

For example, mammals have mammary glands.  The fact that we put the baby against our breasts to feed them is a conscious thing.  The whole  maternal usage of mammary glands is instinct.  Thus, this action and knowledge of its purpose and usage is a mixture of voluntary movement as well as animal instinct.  However, the knowledge of mammary glands is knowledge that only mammals will know and no matter how hard we try to educate an ant, lizard or eagle about mammary glands, they will never know, especially since they have none.  

Thus, the neocortex is simply a supplementary part of pursueing the evolutionary traits that have come along when becoming a mammal.  

I hope this made sense....