Humans are not smarter than animals - we just don't understand them

For many years, humans have believed we are the most intelligent beings on the planet. However, evolutionary biologists are now claiming that some members of the animal kingdom may in fact have superior brains - we just don't recognise their intelligence.

Scientists at the University of Adelaide argue that evidence is emerging to suggest some animals actually have cognitive faculties that are superior to those possessed by human beings.

“For millennia, all kinds of authorities – from religion to eminent scholars – have been repeating the same idea ad nauseam, that humans are exceptional by virtue and that they are the smartest in the animal kingdom,” says Dr Arthur Saniotis, Visiting Research Fellow with the University's School of Medical Sciences.

"The belief of human cognitive superiority became entrenched in human philosophy and sciences. Even Aristotle, probably the most influential of all thinkers, argued that humans were superior to other animals due to our exclusive ability to reason.

“However, science tells us that animals can have cognitive faculties that are superior to human beings.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/humans-are-not-smarter-than-animals--we-just-dont-understand-them-9003196.html

No shit

Puriel wrote:For many years, humans have believed we are the most intelligent beings on the planet. However, evolutionary biologists are now claiming that some members of the animal kingdom may in fact have superior brains - we just don't recognise their intelligence.

Scientists at the University of Adelaide argue that evidence is emerging to suggest some animals actually have cognitive faculties that are superior to those possessed by human beings.

“For millennia, all kinds of authorities – from religion to eminent scholars – have been repeating the same idea ad nauseam, that humans are exceptional by virtue and that they are the smartest in the animal kingdom,” says Dr Arthur Saniotis, Visiting Research Fellow with the University's School of Medical Sciences.

"The belief of human cognitive superiority became entrenched in human philosophy and sciences. Even Aristotle, probably the most influential of all thinkers, argued that humans were superior to other animals due to our exclusive ability to reason.

“However, science tells us that animals can have cognitive faculties that are superior to human beings.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/humans-are-not-smarter-than-animals--we-just-dont-understand-them-9003196.html

well if you go on brain size it must be obvious that there is more going on in a whales brain than humans.
Animals are good at doing what they have evolved to do.
hunt, eat and fornicate mainly. With a bit of running away on the side.
Some certainly can problem solve.
And some use rudimentary tools,

but that does not mean they are superior, it just means they are different and do what they need to do to survive

Flap Gallagher wrote:
well if you go on brain size it must be obvious that there is more going on in a whales brain than humans.
Animals are good at doing what they have evolved to do.
hunt, eat and fornicate mainly. With a bit of running away on the side.
Some certainly can problem solve.
And some use rudimentary tools,

but that does not mean they are superior, it just means they are different and do what they need to do to survive

"Hunt, eat and fornicate". How arrogant humans are. Maybe we're clever at a lot of things, but what if I dumped you and a homing pigeon in the middle of nowhere, who's the clever boy then? Could you find your way from Africa to England and back each year with no-one's assistance? Could you detect a bomb nearby without any equipment but your nose? ....

Tess wrote:
"Hunt, eat and fornicate".  How arrogant humans are.  Maybe we're clever at a lot of things, but what if I dumped you and a homing pigeon in the middle of nowhere, who's the clever boy then?  Could you find your way from Africa to England and back each year with no-one's assistance?  Could you detect a bomb nearby without any equipment but your nose? ....

Excellent points I have to say.

They enjoy ski-ing too.

"Hunt, eat and fornicate"

Right, I'll take the fornicate bit....who's up for the other two?

Bullshit.

Each to their own Queenie but I can't eat bullshit.

Tess wrote:
"Hunt, eat and fornicate".  How arrogant humans are.  Maybe we're clever at a lot of things, but what if I dumped you and a homing pigeon in the middle of nowhere, who's the clever boy then?  Could you find your way from Africa to England and back each year with no-one's assistance?  Could you detect a bomb nearby without any equipment but your nose? ....

Can a homing pigeon build said bomb?
Can a homing pigeon go to Space?
Can a homing pigeon perform surgery?

etc, etc.

No, they fly home and on the way they launch several flying bombs of shit on to people and cars. Why would they want to go somewhere with no air? If ill, they fly home and their owner looks after them. Kinda got a cushy number eh.

Evening Tea wrote:

Can a homing pigeon build said bomb?
Can a homing pigeon go to Space?
Can a homing pigeon perform surgery?

etc, etc.

The homing pigeon was only one example. Are animals cleverer than us for not building said bomb?

Evening Tea wrote:

Can a homing pigeon build said bomb?
Can a homing pigeon go to Space?
Can a homing pigeon perform surgery?

etc, etc.

So your argument is intelligence over technology, that to you is intelligence?.

Take your time on this one

Tess wrote:
The homing pigeon was only one example.  Are animals cleverer than us for not building said bomb?

The point that Tea lacks in this debate is all animals have intelligence, he places technology as superior to common sense, where an animal in many species will do what is right for the good of their group, where as a humans will in 90% of the cases look to themselves. Humans are selfish and lack intelligence, they were given the gifts of limbs and what did they choose to do with them?
Invent ways to kill more people, now Tess I think you will agree with me here, most animals will kill another animal out of necessity, either for food or to survive. Humans though, have taken ignorance to a new level, as they have made it a reason to kill over any petty thing, as they have no idea how to live with each other.
That is why we as humans lack intelliegnce

Puriel wrote:

The point that Tea lacks in this debate is all animals have intelligence, he places technology as superior to common sense, where an animal in many species will do what is right for the good of their group, where as a humans will in 90% of the cases look to themselves. Humans are selfish and lack intelligence, they were given the gifts of limbs and what did they choose to do with them?
Invent ways to kill more people, now Tess I think you will agree with me here, most animals will kill another animal out of necessity, either for food or to survive. Humans though, have taken ignorance to a new level, as they have made  it a reason to kill over any petty thing, as they have no idea how to live with each other.
That is why we as humans lack intelliegnce

Ha, what a load of misanthropic bullshit.
Intelligence isn't determined by your own personal view on morality, Didge.

Yes, I'm sure a lack of common sense and intelligence is what led us from being cave-men to masters of the planet.
Civilisation, arts, the sciences, language are SURELY the product of stupidity.
Quality argument, Didge.

Tess wrote:
The homing pigeon was only one example.  Are animals cleverer than us for not building said bomb?

I am having serious trouble understanding why you think someone choosing not to be violent is a mark of intelligence and mental ability.
Are you calling Einstein an idiot for working on the atomic bomb?

Tess wrote:

Flap Gallagher wrote:
well if you go on brain size it must be obvious that there is more going on in a whales brain than humans.
Animals are good at doing what they have evolved to do.
hunt, eat and fornicate mainly. With a bit of running away on the side.
Some certainly can problem solve.
And some use rudimentary tools,

but that does not mean they are superior, it just means they are different and do what they need to do to survive

"Hunt, eat and fornicate".  How arrogant humans are.  Maybe we're clever at a lot of things, but what if I dumped you and a homing pigeon in the middle of nowhere, who's the clever boy then?  Could you find your way from Africa to England and back each year with no-one's assistance?  Could you detect a bomb nearby without any equipment but your nose? ....

rather proves the point. Animals are good at what they have evolved to do.

could I detect a bomb with my nose. Nope, but neither could a dog or a bee unless it was trained to do so, that is not an inherent skill. could a dog find a bomb with a bit of mine sweeping kit, no, but I could be trained to do so.
Our noses are not as good at smelling because we no longer need to do so.

Evening Tea wrote:

Ha, what a load of misanthropic bullshit.
Intelligence isn't determined by your own personal view on morality, Didge.

Yes, I'm sure a lack of common sense and intelligence is what led us from being cave-men to masters of the planet.
Civilisation, arts, the sciences, language are SURELY the product of stupidity.
Quality argument, Didge.

No bullshit, just common sense you lack, you think technology is all about being superior and as Tess has shown, simple things animals can do show your simple beliefs are shattered.
Do you really believe intelligence is all bout control?
If you believe that, you are a child still

Puriel wrote:

Tess wrote:
"Hunt, eat and fornicate".  How arrogant humans are.  Maybe we're clever at a lot of things, but what if I dumped you and a homing pigeon in the middle of nowhere, who's the clever boy then?  Could you find your way from Africa to England and back each year with no-one's assistance?  Could you detect a bomb nearby without any equipment but your nose? ....

Excellent points I have to say.

as I said, no more than a dog could without being trained and no more than a dog could with a bit of minesweeping kit.

Sister Mary wrote:No, they fly home and on the way they launch several flying bombs of shit on to people and cars.  Why would they want to go somewhere with no air?  If ill, they fly home and their owner looks after them.  Kinda got a cushy number eh.

A homing pigeon can fly to one place. with human ingenuity I could find any place on the planet with a gps.

Puriel wrote:

Evening Tea wrote:

Can a homing pigeon build said bomb?
Can a homing pigeon go to Space?
Can a homing pigeon perform surgery?

etc, etc.

So your argument is intelligence over technology, that to you is intelligence?.

Take your time on this one

are you saying technology is not come by with intelligence?

Evening Tea wrote:

I am having serious trouble understanding why you think someone choosing not to be violent is a mark of intelligence and mental ability.
Are you calling Einstein an idiot for working on the atomic bomb?

Einstein was an idiot only for for not doing anything to stop the making of that bomb. He was a genius granted, but what makes humans be special is making the difficult decisions, when children like yourself think they are right. they lack insight of experience, they think they know better.
Tea, I will give you a clue, you know shit, you only know what you read in a book, you have yet to experience life and when you have then tell Tess she is wrong!

Flap Gallagher wrote:
are you saying technology is not come by with intelligence?

Homer Simpson alert, intelligence comes in many forms, keep up dopey!

Flap Gallagher wrote:
as I said, no more than a dog could without being trained and no more than a dog could with a bit of minesweeping kit.

You have no clue on this do you, and just are posting balderdash, do you think we learn maths Flappy, or it is inbuilt?

Puriel wrote:

No bullshit, just common sense you lack, you think technology is all about being superior and as Tess has shown, simple things animals can do show your simple beliefs are shattered.
Do you really believe intelligence is all bout control?
If you believe that, you are a child still

lol.
I'm not going to deal with your god-complex today, I've other things to do.