Can Apes Outthink Humans?
SodaHead News
2012/06/25 13:00:00
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According to The Associated Press, scientists have discovered that the DNA of a bonobo ape is only about 1.3 percent different from humans. And ape behavior continues to astonish scientists as they demonstrate thinking processes and capabilities we never thought possible. For instance, one study showed bonobos will "pack" the tools they need to access food if they're moving to a remote location for the night, and remember to take them with the next day.
Another study showed that if one chimpanzee can see a piece of food and another cannot, the chimp that can see the food is able to recognize this advantage and keep the food hidden -- in other words, chimps are able to put themselves in another's shoes. Another study tried to determine how many pictures baboons could memorize over the course of three years, and by the end of the study, they could remember the pictures better than the scientists testing them.
Emory University primatologist Frans de Waal told AP, "Capacities that we think in humans are very special and complex are probably not so special and not so complex. This research in animals elevates the animals, but it also brings down the humans... If monkeys can do it and maybe dogs and other animals, maybe it's not as complex as you think." Do you think apes have the brainpower to outthink humans?
Another study showed that if one chimpanzee can see a piece of food and another cannot, the chimp that can see the food is able to recognize this advantage and keep the food hidden -- in other words, chimps are able to put themselves in another's shoes. Another study tried to determine how many pictures baboons could memorize over the course of three years, and by the end of the study, they could remember the pictures better than the scientists testing them.
Emory University primatologist Frans de Waal told AP, "Capacities that we think in humans are very special and complex are probably not so special and not so complex. This research in animals elevates the animals, but it also brings down the humans... If monkeys can do it and maybe dogs and other animals, maybe it's not as complex as you think." Do you think apes have the brainpower to outthink humans?
Top Opinion
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irish -liberty or death! 2012/06/25 17:32:11
― Albert Einstein
― Albert Einstein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Sometimes I just can't get the video links to work right. I don't know why.
Edit: I'd also like to say something after seeing the comments some people make along the lines of "Well let's see them do math" or, "They don't have a complex understanding of things the way we do".
Zoo Atlanta has an orangutan that knows about 500 different words in sign language. How much of another language do any of you know after English? In fact, I talked to one of his keepers down there last year and she said that when she started working at the zoo she didn't know any sign language, and so the orangutan ended up being the one to teach her sign language, which is incredible. They're a lot smarter than people give them credit for, but personally I think the human race is generally pretty arrogant when it comes to other species.
Most people can be taught. To suggest because he can use a method of communication he was taught, and a human who hasn't been taught can't makes him smarter than humans is complete nonsense.
have you seen the " product " of the inner city high schools ???
in some cases ... I would say yes...
My dog eats dinner everyday at 4:30. If I am doing something else she reminds me, without fail at 4:30. I would say she is trying to teach me something. She wants her dinner ON TIME.
The question is, what is the Ape saying with sign language? Is it having complex conversations or is it requesting basic needs.
Honestly, it sounds no different than a animal trained to do tricks in a circus act, and hardly proves they are smarter than humans.
I think all animals are smart....I just doubt they are smarter than humans.
Now when that Ape, wakes up, gets dressed, drives through bumper to bumper traffic and does my job as well as I do.....I will be worried! :-)
Here's a pretty cool link about an orangutan in California who became famous for his escapes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Many animals have better memories than humans. Some are much faster in processing certain information, etc... However, humans have developed niche advances in some areas of "thought" that are unequaled.
In the end, I believe animals are far more capable of conscious thought, intelligence, and experiencing emotions than many realize. Humans were not created in a vacuum. We share common traits with all other life, even more so with closer relatives. We may look at our technical advances and volumes of compounding information and think we are exponentially more advanced... but I believe we will find that our ability to do these things took evolutionary advances that were not nearly as large as some think.
Not even close.