While appreciating Adrian's point that anthropomorphism can be unhelpful when
scientist is talking to scientist in the same discipline I believe that it
can be a valuable use of language to make or illustrate a point to a lay
audience.  Dr Robert Pickard is held in immense respect in the UK for his
work on the brain of the honeybee and as a lecturer.  I tried to attend one
of his lectures in London recently but although I arrived early all seats
were taken and I was shut out.  Those who were luckier told me that it was
the best lecture they had ever heard.
Dr Pickard has used a technique of inserting probes into the brain of a
living bee, presenting her with stimuli and recording reactions.  An electric
pulse then sent down the wires would mark the particular parts of the brain
and from later dissection it could be determined which parts of the brain
deal with vision, scent etc.
Although very much smaller, under a million cells, the brain of the bee works
on exactly the same principles as the human brain.  Why then should she not
at times of rest mull over her experiences of the day?  An anthropomorphist
might call it dreaming: a neuroscientist might say the bee was reinforcing
neural pathways but few would understand him.
Chris Slade