We assume ourselves to be the smartest creatures on earth. People also commonly list elephants, dolphins, pigs, or small-toothed whales as other "intelligent" non-primates. It's interesting to examine what exactly we view as intelligence.
A sense of "self" and "other," social hierarchies, language, and learning are factors considered in the search for cognitive ability. Interestingly, these skill sets all have to do with group life- social life- and so they necessarily favor socially adapted animals. The ability to share an everyday idea with a friend is imperative for a human or a dolphin, but it's not a necessary activity for a puma. Solitary animals are thus disadvantaged in this system.
The search for language as a sign of intelligence is particularly bothersome, because it seems like a pure extension of the "man is master" concept. We humans build our entire life around language, and when we see an animal clearly communicate, we are seeing a reflection of ourselves. To conclude that that is "intelligent" involves the built-in assumption that we are wondrous.
No comments:
Post a Comment