What if Humans Aren’t the Most Intelligent Creatures on the Planet?

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Comments

  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954

    brianlux said:

    callen said:

    Nice to see some unfamiliar posters.


    Indeed! And debating/discussing rather than arguing/fighting...

    :plus_one:

    Its MUCH more fun to fight!
    Especially thumb wars.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • SPEEDY MCCREADYSPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 25,598
    PJ_Soul said:

    brianlux said:

    callen said:

    Nice to see some unfamiliar posters.


    Indeed! And debating/discussing rather than arguing/fighting...

    :plus_one:

    Its MUCH more fun to fight!
    Especially thumb wars.
    Had that asteroid not hit 65 million years ago...
    Humans would have been naked, living in a cave, eating each others thumbs. And our species would have lasted about 30 minutes.
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • PJ_Soul said:

    brianlux said:

    callen said:

    Nice to see some unfamiliar posters.


    Indeed! And debating/discussing rather than arguing/fighting...

    :plus_one:

    Its MUCH more fun to fight!
    Especially thumb wars.
    Had that asteroid not hit 65 million years ago...
    Humans would have been naked, living in a cave, eating each others thumbs. And our species would have lasted about 30 minutes.
    you haven't seen Jurassic Park, have you? LOL

    new album "Cigarettes" out Spring 2025!

    www.headstonesband.com




  • InMyInnerSenseInMyInnerSense Posts: 58
    edited May 2015

    Animals cannot be human.. They can't think as complexly as we do, and they can't equate emotion to action like we do.. Period. Believe me.. Until I took up this field of study I was just like you.. I wanted to think that too.. All my animals now are much happier that I am able to recognize that my dog will always only ever be a DOG.. Etc. it's just what it is.

    To pick - humans are animals, not all animals are humans; animals did become humans, ergo, animals can be (in some cases are) human. ;)

    I'm not sure it's safe ground to assume emotions are the result of anything but learned behavior (and evolution) for any kind of animal, including humans - so I agree, we likely respond to them differently. If we experience and act on our emotions in a qualitatively different way and have a limited understanding of how other species respond (which seems safe to infer), I am still stuck thinking we're falling to a perceived/ experienced intelligence bias because we are better able to study, comprehend and create attributes for our own forms of intelligence and emotional reactivity than an 'animal's'.

    You have an interesting job!

    C'mon everybody knows Dogs are smarter than us & just as important as a human Can we keep the posts to a few lines not whole books worth ...

    Not to be crass, but my dog eats her own shit - sometimes whilst it 'comes available'. Do we say that's recycling or the result of a primitive mind? Jury's out... either way, my human 'intelligence' says it's gross (seriously... it's gross); logic says if it was good the first time, there's a good chance it will be on second pass; science says my little one is coprophagic and needs to go to the vet - maybe she has a problem with her pancreas; evolution says she will be eating (and surviving) a hellofa lot longer than I will be. I suppose it depends upon who's watching :dog:
    Post edited by InMyInnerSense on
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,954
    Your dog eats her shit while it's coming out?! :lol::sick:
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • PJ_Soul said:

    Your dog eats her shit while it's coming out?! :lol::sick:

    That's true.


  • Also, if you haven't read The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World Paperback – May 28, 2002 I highly recommend it.

    We're basically being worked by our dogs, our plants, our food... who's actually the more intelligent? Perhaps your dog has forced you to speak its language ;)
  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527

    Animals cannot be human.. They can't think as complexly as we do, and they can't equate emotion to action like we do.. Period. Believe me.. Until I took up this field of study I was just like you.. I wanted to think that too.. All my animals now are much happier that I am able to recognize that my dog will always only ever be a DOG.. Etc. it's just what it is.

    To pick - humans are animals, not all animals are humans; animals did become humans, ergo, animals can be (in some cases are) human. ;)

    I'm not sure it's safe ground to assume emotions are the result of anything but learned behavior (and evolution) for any kind of animal, including humans - so I agree, we likely respond to them differently. If we experience and act on our emotions in a qualitatively different way and have a limited understanding of how other species respond (which seems safe to infer), I am still stuck thinking we're falling to a perceived/ experienced intelligence bias because we are better able to study, comprehend and create attributes for our own forms of intelligence and emotional reactivity than an 'animal's'.

    You have an interesting job!

    C'mon everybody knows Dogs are smarter than us & just as important as a human Can we keep the posts to a few lines not whole books worth ...

    Not to be crass, but my dog eats her own shit - sometimes whilst it 'comes available'. Do we say that's recycling or the result of a primitive mind? Jury's out... either way, my human 'intelligence' says it's gross (seriously... it's gross); logic says if it was good the first time, there's a good chance it will be on second pass; science says my little one is coprophagic and needs to go to the vet - maybe she has a problem with her pancreas; evolution says she will be eating (and surviving) a hellofa lot longer than I will be. I suppose it depends upon who's watching :dog:
    Coprophagia ( eating shit) is actually very common in dogs. Redirect her from Said act, and reward her reward her when she avoids it. Eventually she will learn that NOT eating her poo gets her a tasty treat.. Or at least a treat tastier than her own waste. Is that unsafe for them? Not really. As for the statement that an animal cannot be a human, I should have clarified that they cannot perform the complexities that we can. :-)
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038

    Also, if you haven't read The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World Paperback – May 28, 2002 I highly recommend it.

    We're basically being worked by our dogs, our plants, our food... who's actually the more intelligent? Perhaps your dog has forced you to speak its language ;)

    Yes, great book!

    I haven't gotten dog down yet- after all these years, I'm still trying to learn cat. My current cat/god/despotic ruler Annie has taught me well so far. She even pretends to let me be boss now and then. Now if that isn't clever, intelligent reverse psychology, what is?!

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    HA Brian. Am too weak mentally to own a cat. I know they are smarter than I and I don't trust them. Are truly fascinating.

    So I'm a dog person.

    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    edited May 2015
    Post edited by whispering hands on
  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    :blush:
  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    humans are sure as shit not the most intelligent creatures. we are arrogant, so on & so forth
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."

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  • Last-12-ExitLast-12-Exit Posts: 8,661
    chadwick said:

    humans are sure as shit not the most intelligent creatures. we are arrogant, so on & so forth

    Yea, we are. Both the most intelligent and the most arrogant.
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038

    chadwick said:

    humans are sure as shit not the most intelligent creatures. we are arrogant, so on & so forth

    Yea, we are. Both the most intelligent ignorant and the most arrogant.
    Fixed, haha!

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    brianlux said:

    chadwick said:

    humans are sure as shit not the most intelligent creatures. we are arrogant, so on & so forth

    Yea, we are. Both the most intelligent ignorant and the most arrogant.
    Fixed, haha!

    Thanks for the laugh! I really needed it.
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576

    callen said:

    If we weren't the most intelligent animals on the planet, we wouldn't be on top of the food chain. Luckily dinosaurs aren't around anymore.

    I haven't read the article yet. But it looks interesting.

    The dumb kids regularly beats up the smart kid.
    that's not really an accurate summary of what Last 12 was trying to say, in my view.

    Sure, if we think of intelligence outside the box as being in harmony with nature and our overall surroundings, one could argue that humanity is actually less intelligent than in years past (as the article also mentions-like untouched tribes). But then we have to redefine intelligence. I think intelligence is seperate from action. Sure, many humans destroy the earth, litter, kill each other, leave the lights on when they aren't home, etc, etc, but that doesn't mean that COLLECTIVELY the human race is less intelligent than a whale or a dolphin.

    many humans are pleasantly ignorant of their negative surroundings, completely happy, do nothing but good, but does that make them more intelligent than someone with a higher IQ? I don't know about that.

    I don't consider that intelligent, in the traditional sense of the word. Intelligent to me is brain capacity. Emotional intelligence is differentiated for a reason. there is emotional, and there is cranial.

    I quoted this one, but my response to you is more to the body of your posts in this thread.
    Even if intelligence is brain capacity alone, you are dismissing some serious brain capacities. The power of "echo location" is a brain capacity that is very impressive, and many ocean dwellers have spatial memory that far surpasses our own.
    There is much to be considered in defining intelligence, for instanceLeBron James is one of the most intelligent men on the planet in a particular fashion... It takes serious neural firing to perform such athletic feats.
    A vast majority of the brain is connected to the visual system, and we don't even have particularly good vision.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • rgambs said:

    callen said:

    If we weren't the most intelligent animals on the planet, we wouldn't be on top of the food chain. Luckily dinosaurs aren't around anymore.

    I haven't read the article yet. But it looks interesting.

    The dumb kids regularly beats up the smart kid.
    that's not really an accurate summary of what Last 12 was trying to say, in my view.

    Sure, if we think of intelligence outside the box as being in harmony with nature and our overall surroundings, one could argue that humanity is actually less intelligent than in years past (as the article also mentions-like untouched tribes). But then we have to redefine intelligence. I think intelligence is seperate from action. Sure, many humans destroy the earth, litter, kill each other, leave the lights on when they aren't home, etc, etc, but that doesn't mean that COLLECTIVELY the human race is less intelligent than a whale or a dolphin.

    many humans are pleasantly ignorant of their negative surroundings, completely happy, do nothing but good, but does that make them more intelligent than someone with a higher IQ? I don't know about that.

    I don't consider that intelligent, in the traditional sense of the word. Intelligent to me is brain capacity. Emotional intelligence is differentiated for a reason. there is emotional, and there is cranial.

    I quoted this one, but my response to you is more to the body of your posts in this thread.
    Even if intelligence is brain capacity alone, you are dismissing some serious brain capacities. The power of "echo location" is a brain capacity that is very impressive, and many ocean dwellers have spatial memory that far surpasses our own.
    There is much to be considered in defining intelligence, for instanceLeBron James is one of the most intelligent men on the planet in a particular fashion... It takes serious neural firing to perform such athletic feats.
    A vast majority of the brain is connected to the visual system, and we don't even have particularly good vision.
    No, there are many incredible things/abilities thatoccur in nature that I find utterly astounding, but I dont equte those with overall intelligence. I am not dismissing anything, I just have a different way of defining it.

    I just think the general feeling is that people who are unhappy with the way humans conduct themselves, whether through individual experience, or in mass disappointment with the perceived failure of man with regards to other species and the Earth as a whole, are the ones that seem to have a general bias towards humankind and their intelligence.

    With all of the wrongs man has committed against itself and its environment, that does not alone make us lesser than other beings. Look around. Look at the sheer marvel of what we have created (regardless of what personal value you may put on those achievements, they are remarkable nonetheless), and how we have been able to elongate the very lifespan of our own species. The development of medical science alone, in my mind, makes it indisputable.

    new album "Cigarettes" out Spring 2025!

    www.headstonesband.com




  • rgambs said:

    callen said:

    If we weren't the most intelligent animals on the planet, we wouldn't be on top of the food chain. Luckily dinosaurs aren't around anymore.

    I haven't read the article yet. But it looks interesting.

    The dumb kids regularly beats up the smart kid.
    that's not really an accurate summary of what Last 12 was trying to say, in my view.

    Sure, if we think of intelligence outside the box as being in harmony with nature and our overall surroundings, one could argue that humanity is actually less intelligent than in years past (as the article also mentions-like untouched tribes). But then we have to redefine intelligence. I think intelligence is seperate from action. Sure, many humans destroy the earth, litter, kill each other, leave the lights on when they aren't home, etc, etc, but that doesn't mean that COLLECTIVELY the human race is less intelligent than a whale or a dolphin.

    many humans are pleasantly ignorant of their negative surroundings, completely happy, do nothing but good, but does that make them more intelligent than someone with a higher IQ? I don't know about that.

    I don't consider that intelligent, in the traditional sense of the word. Intelligent to me is brain capacity. Emotional intelligence is differentiated for a reason. there is emotional, and there is cranial.

    I quoted this one, but my response to you is more to the body of your posts in this thread.
    Even if intelligence is brain capacity alone, you are dismissing some serious brain capacities. The power of "echo location" is a brain capacity that is very impressive, and many ocean dwellers have spatial memory that far surpasses our own.
    There is much to be considered in defining intelligence, for instanceLeBron James is one of the most intelligent men on the planet in a particular fashion... It takes serious neural firing to perform such athletic feats.
    A vast majority of the brain is connected to the visual system, and we don't even have particularly good vision.
    we have been able to elongate the very lifespan of our own species. The development of medical science alone, in my mind, makes it indisputable.

    Nice insight.
    A species continually learning to dissect and operate on themselves is highly intelligent.
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038

    rgambs said:

    callen said:

    If we weren't the most intelligent animals on the planet, we wouldn't be on top of the food chain. Luckily dinosaurs aren't around anymore.

    I haven't read the article yet. But it looks interesting.

    The dumb kids regularly beats up the smart kid.
    that's not really an accurate summary of what Last 12 was trying to say, in my view.

    Sure, if we think of intelligence outside the box as being in harmony with nature and our overall surroundings, one could argue that humanity is actually less intelligent than in years past (as the article also mentions-like untouched tribes). But then we have to redefine intelligence. I think intelligence is seperate from action. Sure, many humans destroy the earth, litter, kill each other, leave the lights on when they aren't home, etc, etc, but that doesn't mean that COLLECTIVELY the human race is less intelligent than a whale or a dolphin.

    many humans are pleasantly ignorant of their negative surroundings, completely happy, do nothing but good, but does that make them more intelligent than someone with a higher IQ? I don't know about that.

    I don't consider that intelligent, in the traditional sense of the word. Intelligent to me is brain capacity. Emotional intelligence is differentiated for a reason. there is emotional, and there is cranial.

    I quoted this one, but my response to you is more to the body of your posts in this thread.
    Even if intelligence is brain capacity alone, you are dismissing some serious brain capacities. The power of "echo location" is a brain capacity that is very impressive, and many ocean dwellers have spatial memory that far surpasses our own.
    There is much to be considered in defining intelligence, for instanceLeBron James is one of the most intelligent men on the planet in a particular fashion... It takes serious neural firing to perform such athletic feats.
    A vast majority of the brain is connected to the visual system, and we don't even have particularly good vision.
    No, there are many incredible things/abilities thatoccur in nature that I find utterly astounding, but I dont equte those with overall intelligence. I am not dismissing anything, I just have a different way of defining it.

    I just think the general feeling is that people who are unhappy with the way humans conduct themselves, whether through individual experience, or in mass disappointment with the perceived failure of man with regards to other species and the Earth as a whole, are the ones that seem to have a general bias towards humankind and their intelligence.

    With all of the wrongs man has committed against itself and its environment, that does not alone make us lesser than other beings. Look around. Look at the sheer marvel of what we have created (regardless of what personal value you may put on those achievements, they are remarkable nonetheless), and how we have been able to elongate the very lifespan of our own species. The development of medical science alone, in my mind, makes it indisputable.


    in·dis·put·a·ble
    ˌindəˈspyo͞odəb(ə)l
    adjective: indisputable
    unable to be challenged or denied.

    Interesting, coming from you, Hugh. So we're done here, eh? :wink:

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    brianlux said:

    rgambs said:

    callen said:

    If we weren't the most intelligent animals on the planet, we wouldn't be on top of the food chain. Luckily dinosaurs aren't around anymore.

    I haven't read the article yet. But it looks interesting.

    The dumb kids regularly beats up the smart kid.
    that's not really an accurate summary of what Last 12 was trying to say, in my view.

    Sure, if we think of intelligence outside the box as being in harmony with nature and our overall surroundings, one could argue that humanity is actually less intelligent than in years past (as the article also mentions-like untouched tribes). But then we have to redefine intelligence. I think intelligence is seperate from action. Sure, many humans destroy the earth, litter, kill each other, leave the lights on when they aren't home, etc, etc, but that doesn't mean that COLLECTIVELY the human race is less intelligent than a whale or a dolphin.

    many humans are pleasantly ignorant of their negative surroundings, completely happy, do nothing but good, but does that make them more intelligent than someone with a higher IQ? I don't know about that.

    I don't consider that intelligent, in the traditional sense of the word. Intelligent to me is brain capacity. Emotional intelligence is differentiated for a reason. there is emotional, and there is cranial.

    I quoted this one, but my response to you is more to the body of your posts in this thread.
    Even if intelligence is brain capacity alone, you are dismissing some serious brain capacities. The power of "echo location" is a brain capacity that is very impressive, and many ocean dwellers have spatial memory that far surpasses our own.
    There is much to be considered in defining intelligence, for instanceLeBron James is one of the most intelligent men on the planet in a particular fashion... It takes serious neural firing to perform such athletic feats.
    A vast majority of the brain is connected to the visual system, and we don't even have particularly good vision.
    No, there are many incredible things/abilities thatoccur in nature that I find utterly astounding, but I dont equte those with overall intelligence. I am not dismissing anything, I just have a different way of defining it.

    I just think the general feeling is that people who are unhappy with the way humans conduct themselves, whether through individual experience, or in mass disappointment with the perceived failure of man with regards to other species and the Earth as a whole, are the ones that seem to have a general bias towards humankind and their intelligence.

    With all of the wrongs man has committed against itself and its environment, that does not alone make us lesser than other beings. Look around. Look at the sheer marvel of what we have created (regardless of what personal value you may put on those achievements, they are remarkable nonetheless), and how we have been able to elongate the very lifespan of our own species. The development of medical science alone, in my mind, makes it indisputable.


    in·dis·put·a·ble
    ˌindəˈspyo͞odəb(ə)l
    adjective: indisputable
    unable to be challenged or denied.

    Interesting, coming from you, Hugh. So we're done here, eh? :wink:

    Under that definition. I would say yes..
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038

    brianlux said:

    rgambs said:

    callen said:

    If we weren't the most intelligent animals on the planet, we wouldn't be on top of the food chain. Luckily dinosaurs aren't around anymore.

    I haven't read the article yet. But it looks interesting.

    The dumb kids regularly beats up the smart kid.
    that's not really an accurate summary of what Last 12 was trying to say, in my view.

    Sure, if we think of intelligence outside the box as being in harmony with nature and our overall surroundings, one could argue that humanity is actually less intelligent than in years past (as the article also mentions-like untouched tribes). But then we have to redefine intelligence. I think intelligence is seperate from action. Sure, many humans destroy the earth, litter, kill each other, leave the lights on when they aren't home, etc, etc, but that doesn't mean that COLLECTIVELY the human race is less intelligent than a whale or a dolphin.

    many humans are pleasantly ignorant of their negative surroundings, completely happy, do nothing but good, but does that make them more intelligent than someone with a higher IQ? I don't know about that.

    I don't consider that intelligent, in the traditional sense of the word. Intelligent to me is brain capacity. Emotional intelligence is differentiated for a reason. there is emotional, and there is cranial.

    I quoted this one, but my response to you is more to the body of your posts in this thread.
    Even if intelligence is brain capacity alone, you are dismissing some serious brain capacities. The power of "echo location" is a brain capacity that is very impressive, and many ocean dwellers have spatial memory that far surpasses our own.
    There is much to be considered in defining intelligence, for instanceLeBron James is one of the most intelligent men on the planet in a particular fashion... It takes serious neural firing to perform such athletic feats.
    A vast majority of the brain is connected to the visual system, and we don't even have particularly good vision.
    No, there are many incredible things/abilities thatoccur in nature that I find utterly astounding, but I dont equte those with overall intelligence. I am not dismissing anything, I just have a different way of defining it.

    I just think the general feeling is that people who are unhappy with the way humans conduct themselves, whether through individual experience, or in mass disappointment with the perceived failure of man with regards to other species and the Earth as a whole, are the ones that seem to have a general bias towards humankind and their intelligence.

    With all of the wrongs man has committed against itself and its environment, that does not alone make us lesser than other beings. Look around. Look at the sheer marvel of what we have created (regardless of what personal value you may put on those achievements, they are remarkable nonetheless), and how we have been able to elongate the very lifespan of our own species. The development of medical science alone, in my mind, makes it indisputable.


    in·dis·put·a·ble
    ˌindəˈspyo͞odəb(ə)l
    adjective: indisputable
    unable to be challenged or denied.

    Interesting, coming from you, Hugh. So we're done here, eh? :wink:

    Under that definition. I would say yes..
    I'll take that as, "You have the night off", LOL!

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    Yes!
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038
    Whoo hoo! Movie time! :smiley:
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    Oh yeah!! After I get done writing the results of my dog/wolf study.. ( thank you Colorado Wolf Reserve!!) I wanted to watch that My Name is Khan!! It's nice tonight, so Netflix should work!! Woo hoo!!
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038

    Oh yeah!! After I get done writing the results of my dog/wolf study.. ( thank you Colorado Wolf Reserve!!) I wanted to watch that My Name is Khan!! It's nice tonight, so Netflix should work!! Woo hoo!!

    Nice! I hope you like it.

    I've got "Mr. Wright" starring Queen Latifah queued up. :smile:

    Whoa- talk about "off subject". No doubt this thread will survive, however.

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    brianlux said:

    Oh yeah!! After I get done writing the results of my dog/wolf study.. ( thank you Colorado Wolf Reserve!!) I wanted to watch that My Name is Khan!! It's nice tonight, so Netflix should work!! Woo hoo!!

    Nice! I hope you like it.

    I've got "Mr. Wright" starring Queen Latifah queued up. :smile:

    Whoa- talk about "off subject". No doubt this thread will survive, however.

    Of course it will.. We 'smart' humans will find a way for it to revert back to topic! Lol. Speaking of smart and humans versus animals.. I found some crazy stuff this week at the reserve!! If it wasn't such a long study, I'd copy it for ya'll it's very interesting..
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576

    rgambs said:

    callen said:

    If we weren't the most intelligent animals on the planet, we wouldn't be on top of the food chain. Luckily dinosaurs aren't around anymore.

    I haven't read the article yet. But it looks interesting.

    The dumb kids regularly beats up the smart kid.
    that's not really an accurate summary of what Last 12 was trying to say, in my view.

    Sure, if we think of intelligence outside the box as being in harmony with nature and our overall surroundings, one could argue that humanity is actually less intelligent than in years past (as the article also mentions-like untouched tribes). But then we have to redefine intelligence. I think intelligence is seperate from action. Sure, many humans destroy the earth, litter, kill each other, leave the lights on when they aren't home, etc, etc, but that doesn't mean that COLLECTIVELY the human race is less intelligent than a whale or a dolphin.

    many humans are pleasantly ignorant of their negative surroundings, completely happy, do nothing but good, but does that make them more intelligent than someone with a higher IQ? I don't know about that.

    I don't consider that intelligent, in the traditional sense of the word. Intelligent to me is brain capacity. Emotional intelligence is differentiated for a reason. there is emotional, and there is cranial.

    I quoted this one, but my response to you is more to the body of your posts in this thread.
    Even if intelligence is brain capacity alone, you are dismissing some serious brain capacities. The power of "echo location" is a brain capacity that is very impressive, and many ocean dwellers have spatial memory that far surpasses our own.
    There is much to be considered in defining intelligence, for instanceLeBron James is one of the most intelligent men on the planet in a particular fashion... It takes serious neural firing to perform such athletic feats.
    A vast majority of the brain is connected to the visual system, and we don't even have particularly good vision.
    No, there are many incredible things/abilities thatoccur in nature that I find utterly astounding, but I dont equte those with overall intelligence. I am not dismissing anything, I just have a different way of defining it.

    I just think the general feeling is that people who are unhappy with the way humans conduct themselves, whether through individual experience, or in mass disappointment with the perceived failure of man with regards to other species and the Earth as a whole, are the ones that seem to have a general bias towards humankind and their intelligence.

    With all of the wrongs man has committed against itself and its environment, that does not alone make us lesser than other beings. Look around. Look at the sheer marvel of what we have created (regardless of what personal value you may put on those achievements, they are remarkable nonetheless), and how we have been able to elongate the very lifespan of our own species. The development of medical science alone, in my mind, makes it indisputable.

    Necessity is the mother of invention! If we had a stable environment and abundance in the resources we need as a species, we wouldn't be seeing the "achievements" that make us the kings of the Earth. It's not about emotion for me, just raw brain potential...in which we probably are the winners, but it's a tighter race than many think.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • whispering handswhispering hands Posts: 13,527
    rgambs said:

    rgambs said:

    callen said:

    If we weren't the most intelligent animals on the planet, we wouldn't be on top of the food chain. Luckily dinosaurs aren't around anymore.

    I haven't read the article yet. But it looks interesting.

    The dumb kids regularly beats up the smart kid.
    that's not really an accurate summary of what Last 12 was trying to say, in my view.

    Sure, if we think of intelligence outside the box as being in harmony with nature and our overall surroundings, one could argue that humanity is actually less intelligent than in years past (as the article also mentions-like untouched tribes). But then we have to redefine intelligence. I think intelligence is seperate from action. Sure, many humans destroy the earth, litter, kill each other, leave the lights on when they aren't home, etc, etc, but that doesn't mean that COLLECTIVELY the human race is less intelligent than a whale or a dolphin.

    many humans are pleasantly ignorant of their negative surroundings, completely happy, do nothing but good, but does that make them more intelligent than someone with a higher IQ? I don't know about that.

    I don't consider that intelligent, in the traditional sense of the word. Intelligent to me is brain capacity. Emotional intelligence is differentiated for a reason. there is emotional, and there is cranial.

    I quoted this one, but my response to you is more to the body of your posts in this thread.
    Even if intelligence is brain capacity alone, you are dismissing some serious brain capacities. The power of "echo location" is a brain capacity that is very impressive, and many ocean dwellers have spatial memory that far surpasses our own.
    There is much to be considered in defining intelligence, for instanceLeBron James is one of the most intelligent men on the planet in a particular fashion... It takes serious neural firing to perform such athletic feats.
    A vast majority of the brain is connected to the visual system, and we don't even have particularly good vision.
    No, there are many incredible things/abilities thatoccur in nature that I find utterly astounding, but I dont equte those with overall intelligence. I am not dismissing anything, I just have a different way of defining it.

    I just think the general feeling is that people who are unhappy with the way humans conduct themselves, whether through individual experience, or in mass disappointment with the perceived failure of man with regards to other species and the Earth as a whole, are the ones that seem to have a general bias towards humankind and their intelligence.

    With all of the wrongs man has committed against itself and its environment, that does not alone make us lesser than other beings. Look around. Look at the sheer marvel of what we have created (regardless of what personal value you may put on those achievements, they are remarkable nonetheless), and how we have been able to elongate the very lifespan of our own species. The development of medical science alone, in my mind, makes it indisputable.

    Necessity is the mother of invention! If we had a stable environment and abundance in the resources we need as a species, we wouldn't be seeing the "achievements" that make us the kings of the Earth. It's not about emotion for me, just raw brain potential...in which we probably are the winners, but it's a tighter race than many think.
    I agree with you on this! Again like I said before.. The only reason animals never evolved further, is because there was no reason to.
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