|
|
Ape Genius.... the main difference with humans is spiritualFrom: Michael Winn
Subject: Philosophy
Date/Time 2008-05-04 22:01:52
Remote IP: 66.32.35.219
MessageNote: most interesting idea in this article is that apes don't build on other apes discoveries - what we call externally as science, and i call internally as spiritual science. This is what leads to higher cultural and moral evolution. We have too much external science evolving quickly, and not enough intenral science. It's causing humans to go a bit mad... and turn into violence apes.
-michael
PE GENIUS REVEALS DEPTH OF ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE
By Paul Eccleston
The Telegraph
May 2, 2008
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/20
08/05/02/eachimp102.xml
Chimpanzees in Senegal make and sharpen spears with their teeth to go
hunting. Like our own ancestors they have learned to use tools to kill their
quarry more effectively.
They use their colossal strength to thrust their spears into holes in trees
where they suspect nocturnal bushbabies are sleeping.
Anthropologist Jill Pruetz believes she has made a landmark discovery -- a
species other than humans learning -- and passing on -- the skills to make a
lethal weapon.
The generation of ideas and sharing a skill is a scientific definition of
culture.
In another part of Africa a young chimp lowers himself gingerly into a
cooling pool and squealing with excitement -- in exactly the same way as a
human child would. Apes are supposed to be afraid of water but this one is
actively using the water as a tool to enjoy a dip.
In controlled laboratory experiments another chimpanzee called Judy quickly
learns how to use a complex series of manoeuvres, turning wheels and pulling
handles in order, to obtain a piece of fruit from a specially constructed
wooden slot machine. But even more remarkably other chimps watch her success
and then learn the skill themselves.
Learning by imitation is regarded as an essential skill for culture.
Apes display rudimentary traditions which could be interpreted as culture
but are they really bright enough to develop a proper culture?
The apes are all stars of a new film -- Ape Genius
-- which gives a fascinating
insight into the depth of intelligence of animals who share 99 per cent of
human genes. In it they reveal the skills, reasoning powers and emotions
that were once thought to be uniquely human.
The stars include Koko a gorilla who understands sign language, Azy an
orangutan maths champion, and Kanzi a bonobo who understands more than 3,000
words of English.
The film demonstrates that apes are more like us than we ever imagined and
only the lack of a few mental skills has prevented them making the giant
evolutionary development steps taken by their human cousins.
What's the little difference that makes the big difference and how big is
the gap between Them and Us?, the film asks.
In west Africa Japanese researchers watch a mother care for sick
two-years-old infant. She puts her paw on his forehead in exactly the way as
a parent would check for a temperature in a child. As the baby chimp's life
ebbs away she cares for him devotedly and when he dies she carries him
around on her back for weeks almost refusing to accept that he is gone.
It is impossible to know what she is thinking but not difficult to recognise
that she is stricken with grief.
"When I see the scene of the mother looking at the baby, I really recognise
the emotional life of chimpanzees are so similar to us," says one of the
researchers.
But if apes have the power to reason, learn skills, feel emotion and
co-operate in a frenzied tree-top hunt for Colobus monkeys as chimpanzees
do, why don't we have a planet of the apes?
The film reveals that although apes will co-operate to obtain food they
don't have a shared commitment, they don't have the passion to urge or cheer
on a tribe member and they do not have control of their emotions. They are
also violent, impulsive and display deadly rivalry.
Although they can be taught to recognise symbols and words they don't have
the mental capacity to contribute to a 'conversation' -- and they don't make
small talk. And most important of all although they can imitate, they can't
teach or build on the achievements others have made -- unlike more
successful humans.
Their mental rocket is on the launch pad but it hasn't taken off, the film
concludes.
.............
Ape Genius will be shown on the National Geographic Wild Channel:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/apegenius/
- Ape Genius.... the main difference with humans is spiritual: (348) Michael Winn (1155) - - 2008-05-04 10:01 pm
[Top of List] [Previous Thread] [Next Thread]
|
|
|
|
This Forum is for posting on topics of interest to the Taoist (Daoist) community. Tao is exceptionally broad. Will your post add to the collective balance, harmony, & wisdom? Posts/links deemed obscene, prejudicial, irrelevant, inflammatory, or falsely impersonating others may be removed at Healing Tao USA's discretion. The Forum community thanks you for respecting the registration privilege!
|
|
|
|