In light of the success of the Creation post, I thought I would attempt a similar new one. Who thinks that humans are the smartest animals on the planet Earth?
Speaking personally, I would say yes. But after reading some posts on this board, there is room for doubt.
How about this one, are humans getting smarter or dumber?
Are we evolving into sheep? 
[i]Originally posted by CPA_Niner[/i]@Jun 13 2005, 01:49 PM [b] How about this one, are humans getting smarter or dumber? [/b]I'm not so sure that it is a matter of intelligence but rather motivation. I believe that with all of the modern conveniences, we are getting lazier and therefore less productive as compared to our potential.
[i]Originally posted by hootie[/i]@Jun 13 2005, 01:15 PM [b] Speaking personally, I would say yes. But after reading some posts on this board, there is room for doubt. [/b]lol best post ive read in a while
Humans are only the 3rd most intelligent being on Earth. Dolphins being the 2nd most intelligent.
Has any other species come up w/ anything as complicated as radios, TVs, CDs, cars, planes, bombs (especially nukes,) homes w/ sophisticated materials instead of dirt or grass or something, etc?
Can dolphins take tests? They don’t even have fingers, let alone opposable thumbs to write with.
To quote Dennis Leary, “We got the bombs, & the whole world can kiss our a**.” LOL. This is for those of you who don’t have a sense of humor.
Intelligent, yes. Smart, absolutely not.
[i]Originally posted by stonecoldken[/i]@Jun 13 2005, 05:00 PM [b] Can dolphins take tests? They don't even have fingers, let alone opposable thumbs to write with. [/b]On a quasi-serious note from this post. Are you implying that beings (humans or not) without opposable thumbs are immediately less intelligent than those who have them? Or that beings who can't write are immediately less intelligent than those who can?
Or how does one measure intelligence for a being that can’t communicate in our language, and we can’t communicate in theirs (ie dolphins)?
I definitely think humans are the most intelligent. But, as many have pointed out before, after bathing my dog, feeding him and him sleeping all day, it makes you wonder.
I heard a science guy(not his official title) on the radio give a report on domesticated animals. His view was that dogs and cats are social parasytes. A parasyte attaches to the host and lives off of the resources of the individual organism. I thought that was an interesting sentiment.
Humans can make their environment adapt to thier needs, all other species endeavor to adapt to their environment.
Some writer who shall remain nameless because I can’t remember his/her name once argued that the only things that set humans apart from other organisms is reading and lifting weights.
[i]Originally posted by Pork Chop[/i]@Jun 14 2005, 12:39 PM [b] Some writer who shall remain nameless because I can't remember his/her name once argued that the only things that set humans apart from other organisms is reading and lifting weights. [/b]Cutlery dude, you forgot cutlery.
Cutlery can fall into the categoriy of using tools. Other animals use tools. For example, an otter will swim on his back and crack an oyster open with a rock.
Do you think we could build a pyramid today like the Egyptians did in the past? They had no examples to go by. Also I believe the Myans (sp) had a more accurate calendar than what we use now (I could be wrong on that but I believe it was pretty accurate). It seems that we piggy back off of what others have done before us, we have advanced technology but we continue to just build off of what we have.
[i]Originally posted by Normmm[/i]@Jun 13 2005, 11:14 PM [b] I definitely think humans are the most intelligent. But, as many have pointed out before, after bathing my dog, feeding him and him sleeping all day, it makes you wonder. [/b]I don't know about that. If you didn't feed him, he'd die. :)
I think written language is the one thing that sets the human race apart from the other animals in terms of intellectual achievement. What we lack are the intangibles, the sixth senses, the invisible bonds that animals seem to have with the Earth. It’s sort of like we don’t really belong here. Our bodies aren’t meant to withstand nature, hence clothing and shelter. It’s like we were dropped off here to fend for ourselves and so far we’ve been able to compensate for our shortcomings.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the human race goes extinct long before something like the crocodile. Just in the past 75 years or so, we’ve gone from a civilization incapable of massive self destrcution to one that could obliterate itself 100 times over, the mechanism being either some bomb or some virus. It’s only a matter of time before we nutty humans do overselves in. At our most basic level, we are savages, and that will be our eventual demise. I mean, we’re still dealing with things like racism… something that nobody is born with, and that only 60 or so years before now caused millions to be slaughtered in its name. We still have a long way to go as a society to self-actualization.
I don’t see Dolphins using letters, hyreoglyphs, or other markings to record their history, science, math, language, etc.
Do they make art, can they play music w/ an instrument (all they can do is sing,) do they have cities, etc.?
Apes are supposedly our closest cousins & all they can do is throw poop. Ooh, what intelligence! I’m so threatened they’re going to conquer us!
Dolphins are going to start sinking subs, climb on water, & whup us. Ooh, No!
Like I said, We got the bombs! All other species must bow down.
I think most the HG2G humor of my original post in this thread. I in no way think Dolphins are more intelligent than humans. The thing that gets me thinking though is, how do we know this? And is the basis, upon which our decision is made, valid? If you have 2 creatuers, who have no way of communicating with each other, if one of those creatues declairs its more intelligent than the other… how can you be so sure? It would seem to be an opinion based purely on perspective. Maybe the dolphins are thinking the same thing about us?
[b]I don't see Dolphins using letters, hyreoglyphs, or other markings to record their history, science, math, language, etc. Do they make art, can they play music w/ an instrument (all they can do is sing,) do they have cities, etc.?[/b]
Kind of interesting… Dolphins are the only other known mammal to have sex for pleasure.
[b]Apes are supposedly our closest cousins & all they can do is throw poop. Ooh, what intelligence![/b]
I’ve seen Orangutangs that have been taught fluent sign language so my guess is that there are apes on this planet that are fluent in exactly as many languages as you Ken. :lol:
[b]Apes are supposedly our closest cousins & all they can do is throw poop. [/b]
That’s mild compared to what a lot of humans do with their or someone else’s feces.