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Loading...6 Species Proving Humans Aren’t the Only Intelligent Ones on the Planet
Written by David DeFranza
Defining intelligence is not easy. Is it an ability for abstract thought? Communication? Reasoning? Problem solving? It’s a troubling concept for humans because we know we have it but we’re not so sure what, exactly it is.
And traditionally, humans have considered their intelligence to be superior to that of the rest of earth’s inhabitants. Animals, it has long been thought, have a degree of intelligence but certainly nothing that could compare to humanity’s proclivity for innovation and emotional understanding.
Recently, however, a series of observations have challenged this idea. Indeed, we humans are finally realizing that several animals—from our cousins the apes down to fish and even some invertebrates—experience deep emotion, develop culture, and utilize tools for problem solving; all things that were once the cornerstones of the human intelligence pedestal.
vladdythephotogeek/flickr
1. Apes
Any discussion of animal intelligence must begin with apes. There has been extensive and well-documented research that has found evidence of some key elements of high intelligence in ape species including self awareness, emotional understanding, problem solving and reasoning, culture, and language.
Perhaps the most compelling sign, however, are the numerous videos of apes morning their dead kin. The footage of both chimpanzees and gorillas is chilling.
Top photo from Chi King via flickr.
Read more: animals, apes, crows, dolphins, elephants, fish, intelligence, octopi, treehugger
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
Recent Comments from Causes
Thank you for article.
people with disabilities are human too
I am looking forward to Nikta 2. Hope it becames a franchise. :)
323 comments
+ add your ownThank you for sharing.
We can learn so much from the animals. We have but there is always more.
Every day my African Grays prove to me how smart they are
I've always thought animals were more intelligent than humans.
The difference between us and these animals is that they show compassion and will help a human in distress. We show no compassion and murder them in droves.
They are many more species showing intelligence. All being smarter than humans by not destroying the enviroment
The story stated that:
Though no animal has exhibited the desire or ability to cooperate and transform the planet to the extent humans have.
Isn't that the truth?
No species has screwed up and polluted the Earth like the human species has.
No other species has the knowledge, the power and yet the stupidity to completely destroy the Earth's Environment.
Ever wonder why all things are in Harmony on this Planet, except for smart old us?
Re human versus animal intelligence. In the hills there are roads with cattle grids and loose sheep grazing on the other side. I met this dumb motorist who complained that he kept damaging his car by hitting sheep! (Never mind the poor sheep!)
I've never hit a sheep because I can always tell if there is a ewe on one side of the road and a lamb on the other. When scared, the lamb will run to its mother. It's only been on this planet for a month or two so it hasn't had time to learn about traffic. But the motorist has had *how* many years to learn about sheep!? So which is the stupid one!
Read 'King Solomon's Ring' by Konrad Lorenz, who won the Nobel Prize for his studies of animla behaviour. It's book you'll never forget!
Our African Grey mourned the loss of his friend Merlyn, a Blue Front Amazon who died of liver disease and our bunny Thumper whom he considered his pet when she died of jaw cancer.
Stunning footage of the fish collecting, transporting and then using the stone for a definitely intended purpose to gain its food 'reward'! A classic example of tool-use. Man has a lot to learn from animals.At least they don't deliberately destroy the environment in which they live, unless there is a beneficial purpose for doing so, e.g. food acquisition, safety reasons etc. We have SO MUCH MORE yet to learn about the creatures with which we share the planet but will we give them long enough to do so? Who knows how intelligent were some of the species whose extinctions we have already caused e.g. Mammoth (compare with Elephants). And I'm certain we had a large part in their extinction additional to climate considerations..
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