Why do humans consider animals "Unintelligent"?

[Tenacious D]

Humans consider animals unintelligent because they cant speak like a human nor are they capable of building a civilization. Why do humans think they could judge other creatures as "Stupid'?

[The Space Cowboy]

Being omnivorous requires us to label them unperceiving and unfeeling. Otherwise we would have a serious moral dilemma every time we ate beef, wore wool, or used animal products in any way. All animals are intelligent, but to a different degree. My dogs are intelligent to a different degree then say...an insect.

Perhaps the ability to communicate between the species could be considered a standard measure of intelligence?

[Tenacious D]

That is true, however since we think Humans are smart, we think anyone below us is inferior

[The Space Cowboy]

Well technically...they are inferior. Mankind is the Apex Predator on the earth. We can alter our environment, even create environments that will suit us. Heck, we can even warm up the planet (or so some say).

I think it's safe to say that mankind is superior to any species yet discovered, thus we have the right to dub species intelligent and unintelligent as we so please.

[SasuNaru]

Humans think of animals as unintellegent because, by and large, they are. In order to be intellegent (or rather to be "an intellegence," but close enough) you need four things:

1. Memory
2. Will
3. Intellect
4. Imagination

Some animals don't have the brain capacity for memory: they live only by instinct, they have no capacity to learn from their experiences. Most of these are lower order animals, though. Most animals have a memory.

Most animals, arguably, also have a will, since they express capacity for desire, and make choices. It is questionable, though, whether you could call instinct a will, and I am playing fast and loose with the definiton by doing so...

Intellect. The vast majority of animals do not have a real intellect. If they had a real intellect then they could, in theory, solve any problem that could be solved. Humans posses a universal intellect: if it can be solved, we can solve it (just like a computer, we share the same problem-space). Animals do not appear to have this capacity for a universal intellect. Thus, on the basis of this it appears fair to say they are not intellegent.

However, if you want to hold out on the intellect part (and say, for example that a universal intellect is not necessary for intellegence, or that some animals DO have a universal intellect) you still have to show that animals have an imagination. This, I feel, you will find quite difficult.

Thus, on the basis of the lack of part 3 and part 4, I say that animals are not intellegent.

[Geji Mayu]

Read "The Most Dangerous Game". I believe what seperates men from animals is reason. An animal will never be able to compete with man because all they really on is instinct, and instinct cannot compete with reason. If animals had reason, humans would not be the dominant species.

I pretty much think that sums it up.

[Rurouni]

Read "The Most Dangerous Game". I believe what seperates men from animals is reason. An animal will never be able to compete with man because all they really on is instinct, and instinct cannot compete with reason. If animals had reason, humans would not be the dominant species.

I pretty much think that sums it up.

Yeah, I agree. Humans think animals are unintelligent because they rely on their instincts, most animals really having intellect.

(The Most Dangerous Game was a very good piece of writing too :D)

[Obscura]

Theres a big difference between wild animals and domesticated animals.

Wild animals are more intelligent as they need to be in order to live and thrive in the wild. Take lions for example.. they have a strong family and teamwork structure. The way they are built.. if they didn't work together they would starve to death. They are short sprinters and have low stamina.. so they need to set up an ambush for their prey.

Domesticated animals don't need to rely on intelligence to survive because humans provide their food, shelter and protection. So little effort is needed when it comes to survival since they depend on us for that.

[Inactive Uzumaki]

Basically agree with everything said above.

What's unfortunate is, humans are only intelligent enough to make their own lives more difficult and destroy precious things, and not make things easier and let all things prosper. :neutral

[General Shino]

What makes us different from other animals is our ability to imagine. Not to problem solve or work teams and the such. Other animals can also do that but I dont see them doing half the stuff we do. If we could not imagine we could not be great. Mabey we are considering animals unintelligent because they can not imagine like us.

[Deathinstinct]

What makes us different from other animals is our ability to imagine. Not to problem solve or work teams and the such. Other animals can also do that but I dont see them doing half the stuff we do. If we could not imagine we could not be great. Mabey we are considering animals unintelligent because they can not imagine like us.
Imagine - form a mental picture of something, think of something.
Actually animals can do that. My dog has had bad dreams, running like mad and wimpering. She also cries when her loved one's are gone. Which sucks cause I'm always at college. These are both actions that show thought and emotion.
Humans think of other animals as stupid only because they haven't created great structure, machines, etc. But the truth is that humans like to see themselves as better than we really are. Thus we say we have intelligence 'unlike animals', while in fact we aren't as intelligent as some animals.

[General Shino]

Have you talked to your dog, has he said "Hey, I had a nightmere", didnt think so... and to cry for a loved one is an emotion. Other animals have emotions. you dont understand the sheer complexity of imagination. Read Micheal Chrichton's Sphere

[Squirrel King]

Because they.. are?
First of all - most of their 'intelligence' is born into them instinctively. They just do it. They live, and that's about it.

Second - They lack the advanced language we do. We can communicate on a far more advanced level.

Third - We have a far greater capicity and ease at learning

.. and I could go on. Sure animals SHOW intelligence, doesn't mean they ARE intelligent. Humans > other animals.

[General Shino]

Because they.. are?
First of all - most of their 'intelligence' is born into them instinctively. They just do it. They live, and that's about it.

Second - They lack the advanced language we do. We can communicate on a far more advanced level.

Third - We have a far greater capicity and ease at learning

.. and I could go on. Sure animals SHOW intelligence, doesn't mean they ARE intelligent. Humans > other animals.

Those are all small advantages, if we could not imagine wed be dumb, face facts... we wouldnt have had ideas for things because you wouldnt think of it....wed be.... primitive

[Deathinstinct]

Have you talked to your dog, has he said "Hey, I had a nightmere", didnt think so... and to cry for a loved one is an emotion. Other animals have emotions. you dont understand the sheer complexity of imagination. Read Micheal Chrichton's Sphere
There's more forms of communication than talking. The name is Michael Crichton not Chrichton. And how exactly does Sphere demonstrate the 'complexity' of imagination? A story about a sunkin ship giving people the ability to make what they think reality. Tell me what's going on inside the mind of a brutal animal?

[General Shino]

"On your planet you have an animal called a bear. It is alarge animal, sometimes larger than you, and it is clever and has ingenuity, and it has a brain as large as yours. But the bear differs from you in one important way. It cannot perform the activity you call imagining. It cannot make mental images of how reality might be. It cannot envision what you call the past and what you call the future. This special ability of imagination is what has made your specis as great as it is. Nothing else. It is not your ape-nature, not your tool-using nature, not language or your violence or your caring for young or your social groupings. it is none of these things, which are all found in other animals. Your greatness lies in imagination.
The ability to imagine is the largest part of what you call intelligence. You think the ability to imagine is merely a useful step on the way to solving a problem or making something happen. But imagining is is what makes it happen.
This is the gift of your specis and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful things and you imagine terrible things, and you take no responsibility for the choice. You say you have inside you both the power of god and the power of evil, the angel and the devil, but in truth you have just one thing inside you-the ability to imagine." (Chrichton, 335)

Quote

Resource:
Micheal Crichton. Sphere.Ballanntine Books, NY 1987

[poofspoon]

we cant eat intelligent stuff, therefor, animals are stupid

[poofspoon]

hey, wait a min. who said animals were stupid anyways? did i miss the announcement or something?

[poofspoon]

oh yes, also, it IS because they cant build a civilization. thats how we define smart. civilized. because smart people dont eat mud we say, and smart people live in luxury.

[poofspoon]

on the other hand, maybe roosters have brainwashed us into taking care of them so they DONT have to do anything, and they are the truly smart ones....

[General Shino]

ok... you could have summarized that in 1 post

[Obscura]

Just because animals can't talk that makes them unintelligent? They lack the vocals we humans have.. in all honestly I'd freak out if animals could talk lol

Wolf: Mmm, I'm gonna eat you!
Small kid: Mommy, that dog over there talked!

Seriously.. If you've ever watched and been around animals, they all have their distinct personalities that sets them apart from others of their kind. And they adapt to humans aswell.. thats why we can teach them commands and they respond to them.. does that make them dumb? Ravens for example.. I was watching a show on tv and it showed how this raven would drop a nut on the road and some car would run over it and crush the hard shell.. then the raven would wait until the stop light turned red before he'd fly down and retrieve his meal. The raven had to learn when it was safe to go down and plus it learned that cars are good for cracking open nuts.. thats pretty smart imho.

[General Shino]

Fine, lets all go vegetarian...Animals can be great...fine... but not greater then human.

Do you honestly believe we are at the same level as animals... think about it..

[Obscura]

If you want to go vegitarian go ahead.. I'm not turning vegan anytime soon lol.

I wasn't saying animals were on our level of intelligence, I was just saying they wern't stupid.

[ComeComeParadise]

I think we are more advanced, but not more intelligent. Animals do not attack their own kind, unless met with danger or some other circumstances, but humans do, and that's so stupid. Humans do things to hurt themselves and the earth, but animals don't.

[princesstaco]

What kind of intelligence are we talking about here? 'Intelligence' is a very vague thing.

On some levels, sure animals/organisms can be intelligent. Look at any primate. They act in very intelligent ways, as can a lot of other creatures. But then take a single cell organism such as E.coli...obviously not intelligent. There has to be some way to draw a line between the two. Who knows what that is.

I think we are more advanced, but not more intelligent. Animals do not attack their own kind, unless met with danger or some other circumstances, but humans do, and that's so stupid. Humans do things to hurt themselves and the earth, but animals don't

I think the fact that we don't have to blindly do what's best for personal survival is a result of our intelligence. We can consciously decide to do what is not rational. I don't think *most* animals have that ability.

Animals attack their own kind all the time. Ever put two male beta fish together? Male mice fight all the time when placed in the same cage. Chimpanzee males will eat the young of chimp females to get them to go into heat earlier. I think lions and gorillas do that too.

[General Shino]

Its called Instincts and we all have them... most animals... like humans, have a competive nature...they can even have what we call "emotions"...but other animals are way less evolved then us. This is basics, it should come to everyone easy but apparently easy. Its the chain of life...sorry thats how things work....

[Azalie]

I believe animals are far wiser than humans, for they know how to live without harming the earth. Although there is no way to prove it, I don't believe they act solely on instinct.

Until we learn to listen to the creatures we share this planet with, we will never fully understand them.

[theoneandonly]

I believe animals are far wiser than humans, for they know how to live without harming the earth. Although there is no way to prove it, I don't believe they act solely on instinct.

Until we learn to listen to the creatures we share this planet with, we will never fully understand them.

yeah...animals DO NOT kill their own children..but some pathetic humans...

[Deathinstinct]

yeah...animals DO NOT kill their own children..but some pathetic humans...
Actually some do. If a new Lion male comes into a pride and scares off the old male, his first job will be to kill any male cubs to prevent another lions children from prospering.
Hippos are similar, except the male will kill just so he can have her for himself. Even if it is his own offspring, but hippos are pee-brained morons.
Scientifically, intelligence is determined by comparing brain size to body size.

[General Shino]

I have my respect for animals, I dont like hunting and the such... but this is degrading...

We view animals in our own way, they may do some suprising things but most are out of instinct.... animals may be intelligent but untilligent when we compare them to man... Man may not be the greatest creature.... but is far more intelligent

[konahaelite]

Humans consider animals unintellident because they taste good fried.Humans taste like old tires.

[Deathinstinct]

Humans taste like old tires.
And how do you know this? Rather shady activities wouldn't you say?

[Sir Phoenix]

I agree. Humans are the only manner of creature that can decide to do something other than what it wants to do. An animal can't do this.

[Kepa]

intelligence :

The capacity to acquire and apply knowledge.
The faculty of thought and reason.
...............
show me an animal capable of those...and we'll call them intelligent.
A lot of animals have instinct, and show to learn from their mistakes. But humans are the only "animal" that can hear some info from another human, progress it and find more uses/approaches for that info.

Dolphins : they swim, in water one can't really prove his intelligence. They are called the smartest sea animal, but a world is bigger then the sea alone.
Monkeys: they copy things...that's all, they can't learn words and create their own sentences, they learn sentences.. Only human infants are capable of learning grammar etc.

[Mopes]

Take any biology class to make the distinction of intelligence between animals and humans.

[Deathinstinct]

Only human infants are capable of learning grammar etc.
Last I checked infacts learn through copying what they see done(mimicry). How about learning another language, you mimic what you are taught. That how almost everything is learned, mimicing what you see around you.

create their own sentences
The wild born chimp, Washoe, learned 130 words and invented some herself when the concept she wished to express didn’t match any words she already knew.
The Vervet Monkeys of East Africa have a unique language, which has various calls to indicate various situations. We've only been able to determine a few, such as airborne threat, food, and landborn threat.
Orangutans will use absorbent bits of woods or vegetation to transport liquids, and a chimpanzee will use stones to tamp down soil where it has been digging to hide this fact from others.
One account of simian bravery was reported by Charles Darwin. A keeper at the Zoological Gardens was attacked by a baboon. A little monkey, friendly with the keeper and terrified of the baboon, rushed to his rescue. By screams and bites, the little monkey helped the keeper escape with his life (Masson 59).

[General Shino]

intelligence :

The capacity to acquire and apply knowledge.
The faculty of thought and reason.
...............
show me an animal capable of those...and we'll call them intelligent.
A lot of animals have instinct, and show to learn from their mistakes. But humans are the only "animal" that can hear some info from another human, progress it and find more uses/approaches for that info.

Dolphins : they swim, in water one can't really prove his intelligence. They are called the smartest sea animal, but a world is bigger then the sea alone.
Monkeys: they copy things...that's all, they can't learn words and create their own sentences, they learn sentences.. Only human infants are capable of learning grammar etc.

yes... exactly right! Thank you Kepa... Animals cant have imagination and percieve thought..... I stated this earlier...

[Toby]

Well here is a little nut for you science lovers, an owl can detect and snitch up a mouse which is burying itself in the earth, just as the coast eagle can see through water and calaculate in less than a second where their prey is, how they approach to catch it and do it perfectly in a single drop

Us humans have to calculate this with a program or a mathematical program or even by a physics law. We couldnt calculate these things until 1980s btw. :laugh

[Kepa]

Last I checked infacts learn through copying what they see done(mimicry). How about learning another language, you mimic what you are taught. That how almost everything is learned, mimicing what you see around you..actually, no...a lot of tests have been done on this subject, and human infants are the only specie that can hear a sentence (like John flies an airplane), and can instinctively tell John is the subject, etc.. (I don't know all the english terms). Therefore it doesn't make the mistake of saying "the airplane flies a john". I won't get further into it, if you're really intrested you'll read about it.

I dunno about chimps talking, all I thought they were able of (in order to communicate with humans) is using gestures (well the language deafs and mutes use). I do know about how several species of monkey use technology to help themselves in various situations (and Orangutans actually have bloody turf wars -_-). But you know, we call snails slow, while an insect or bacteria would -if capable of- think it moves incredibly fast.


and Toby, that's beside the question...it's for fun those creatures to have feats like that, but how does it change their intelligence. Does having an extra arm or leg make someone smarter?

[Contaro]

Well here is a little nut for you science lovers, an owl can detect and snitch up a mouse which is burying itself in the earth, just as the coast eagle can see through water and calaculate in less than a second where their prey is, how they approach to catch it and do it perfectly in a single drop

And humans have the ability to accurately throw heavy fist-sized stones at moving objects, something that would require scads of computing power, except that it's instinctive and only needs to be practiced. Stuff that has been hard-wired by evolution isn't intelligence because it does not occur on a conscious level.

The concept of "imagination" is close to the mark. The real difference between humans and animals are things like abstraction, the inner life of the mind, and the like, which give rise to imagination and other things. This allows humanity to build massive social structures seperated in space and time, actively plan for the distant future, etc, which is why we're the top species and not wolves (the current #2 most successful species, in terms of sheer spread)

Personally, I find the people who say we must look to the animals to learn how to live in harmony with nature aren't thinking it through. If you could teach wolves to take care of herds of sheep and raise them, those wolves would outbreed the other wolves, massacre the cougars and such that threatened their flocks, start fighitng with other packs over grazing land, etc. Modern civilization IS in harmony with nature - it's humanity wringing every bit of advantage for humans that it possibly can get, right here, right now, and if it's bad for the other species, so what? The fact that you find it regrettable, unsustainable, or whatever doesn't change the basic fact that it is, in fact, natural, and attempts to mitigate the damage done in the process of human expansion are actually *unnatural* and *artificial*... but that makes them more laudable, not less.

[Deathinstinct]

If you could teach wolves to take care of herds of sheep and raise them, those wolves would outbreed the other wolves, massacre the cougars and such that threatened their flocks, start fighitng with other packs over grazing land, etc.
Where'd that come from, doesn't make much sense to me.
1. Fighting among packs already takes place.
2. Wolf packs already cover huge ranges, so why would they need to expand? (25 to 150 square miles, though arctic wolf territory is larger)
3. Herds of sheep you say. There can be only 1 herd because 5 sheep or 500 sheep is still only 1 herd. Besides wolf packs are around 7 dogs, which wouldn't need many animals.
4. Cougars avoid wolves because their at a disadvantage. Wolves have even been known to kill cougars to steal the cougar's kill. Don't see how this is different than your 'massacre'.

[ChibiHannes]

I agree.

But I think animals are judging humans too and I think they find us very stupid (you should just see the sceptical look in my dogs' eyes >_<).... I understand them ^_^

[Contaro]

Where'd that come from, doesn't make much sense to me.
1. Fighting among packs already takes place.
2. Wolf packs already cover huge ranges, so why would they need to expand? (25 to 150 square miles, though arctic wolf territory is larger)
3. Herds of sheep you say. There can be only 1 herd because 5 sheep or 500 sheep is still only 1 herd. Besides wolf packs are around 7 dogs, which wouldn't need many animals.
4. Cougars avoid wolves because their at a disadvantage. Wolves have even been known to kill cougars to steal the cougar's kill. Don't see how this is different than your 'massacre'.

I was pointing out that, if you were to give another animal the rudiments of 'agriculture' - here in the form of herding, as wolves are not going to be interested in raising wheat - that they will expand in numbers and generally be humanlike (destructive of the 'natural' order of things). I could repeat your lines back almost verbatim about early, pre-agricultural human tribes:

1. Fighting among tribes already takes place.
2. Tribes of primitive humans already cover huge ranges, so why would they need to expand?
3. Herds of sheep you say. There can be only 1 herd because 5 sheep or 500 sheep is still only 1 herd. Besides, tribes are around 50 people, which wouldn't need many animals. (Humans are omnivorous, so they wouldn't need many more sheep than a few wolves. Also, I said 'herds' because, assured of a steady source of food, the original wolf-pack would eventually grow and split, and you'd have two packs of herding wolves, etc.)
4. Predators avoid humans because their(sic) at a disadvantage. Primitive humans have even been known to kill predators to steal the predator's kill. Don't see how this is different than your 'massacre'.

Populations of American smilodon, plains wolves, wooly mammoths, and countless other species wiped out by expanding humanity back in the stone ages would disagree. :smile-big The wolves would be no less motivated to push out anything competing with them, their flocks of sheep, etc.

As for not making sense, I was making a slightly silly argument for the sake of illustrating that human behavior is perfectly natural - if you put other species in our technologically-advanced shoes, they would behave in similar fashions for similar reasons.

[siekenny]

Haha.....Maybe humans think tat they r intelligent...i think.....hahaha.....^_^ :amuse :amuse

[blacklusterseph004]

I consider animals unintelligent because they can't go against their instincts. They can't choose to do something, even if it causes them pain. They don't carry on doing something they don't have to do if they are hungry or tired. I think that what separates us from animals, the fact that we can go against our instincts.

[Deathinstinct]

4. Predators avoid humans because their(sic) at a disadvantage. Primitive humans have even been known to kill predators to steal the predator's kill. Don't see how this is different than your 'massacre'.
On #2 I assume your refering to the middle ages(lords and vassels) for your argument, since early humans(ice age) were nomadic.

Actually there have been animals that attacked humans even when at a disadvantage. After the fall of the Roman Empire, humans got attacked by crazed animals, which often stole babies and killed the weak. This spawned stories of werewolves, while in actuallity the predators were dogs. Domesticated dogs held by the Romans went wild after being freed.
Now you know what to expect when this civilzation falls, Attack of the House Pets!!!

[Raspeh]

I think the problem here is there is no single definition of intelligence.

[OtacontheOtaku]

I think I'll summarize my beliefs in this debate, as such:

Animals can learn, they can call, and they can follow instinct. Instinct employs what the animals learn to do in various situations as passed down by their seniors.

The difference between humans and animals is that humans don't have to simply put into practice what they learn simply bound by instinct. Going back to what's been made a very poignant part of this debate, it's imagination. Humans can imagine how to use what they have learned to whatever means necessary, but the most crushing difference is that humans do not require prior knowledge to a subject to solve the problem. Previous influences are not necessary for humans to create, whereas animals require it. A dolphin could never in one thousand years create electricity, a monkey could never create an airplane, and a squirrel could never even make a writing utensil.

Humans exist on a different plane than animals. We are trillions of times more advanced than animals, and they can't even come close to us in terms of being "intelligent". When you compare the two, essentially all animals are "unintelligent".

While it's true humans also possess instinct on some level humans, unlike animals, can choose to ignore that instinct.

Also, I want to note that both mentally and genetically humans ARE superior to animals, they are our inferiors. Something else that's quite interesting, is that the perception that our gene code only slightly differs from the ape is a common misconception, our gene code possesses only a "base" level of simularity to animal genetics. Other than that, we are so much more complex than animals it's really quite mind-boggling.
(For any supporters of the "ape is only several genes different" bullshit theory, the human gene code still hasn't fully been mapped even to this date. Scientists are constantly finding new genes and obviously, this "theory" was just some Darwanist propaganda purpetuated by supporters of Darwin's insane theory).

[Kamendex]

We are separated from most animals by 3 things.

1. Our superior problem solving ability and large brain
2. Opposable thumb, and ability to use tools
3. Ability to manipulate surroundings.

Thus we are more intelligent.

[dont_look_back]

i dont hink animals are stupid in fact were more stupid than them for egxample cats: we feed them, we let them in, we let them out were practicaly there slaves. in that sense we have a hard life ( not including trilionaires who have servants to do that for them) and they get the good life
:blackmous

[kungpaopnda]

i dont hink animals are stupid in fact were more stupid than them for egxample cats: we feed them, we let them in, we let them out were practicaly there slaves. in that sense we have a hard life ( not including trilionaires who have servants to do that for them) and they get the good life
:blackmous

how are we the slaves? we don't have to do anything all that is optional and ppl do it because they desire a animal companion and that's how they show they love them in return they gain the animals acceptance and love back. It's a give and take situation and it's much more optional then u explain it to be

[rokkudaime]

humans regard dogs,dolphins etc.. as smart animals

[Kakashi_Love]

Funny how we think we're more intelligent just because we can manipulate the earth to fit us. Other animals have been on this earth longer than we have and they learn to adapt to their surrounding. We're the only ones who tries to change mother nature and now all living things has to pay the price for it.

[KUREIGU]

its always been the same, its like how humans consider someone who doesn't understand them e.g a foriegner or a person with a mental disability, as below them. a couple of months ago me and my mate were sitting in the mall when a group of german girls came up to us and stard trying to talk to us in english... my mate was laughing and speaking fast to try and confuse them, then they started speaking to us in german and laughing... i don't speak german so i don't know what they were saying, but i felt like i was being mocked...

anyway like i said its human nature, if it can't comunicate coherently to you then your above it...

[SleepingDisaster]

cuz animal is not think as high as human, animal can be fooled easily by human
and animal don't pray to the God

[Damage,Inc.]

u always say think or intelligence in connection with animals... ask ur biology teachers or read somewhere in a book about it..... animals don't have intelligence and they don't think.. they just do wut their instintcs tell them and use effective the genmaterial they got by nature... i don't say they r stupid cause only one with less intelligence can be called so.. one who doesn't ave intellienc cannot be stupid.... animals follow impulses and instincts not more and not less... it's a fact!

[darkbliss]

Yeah, this is an unteresting topic. Did an assignment on Anthropomorphism. Basically personification of an inanimate object/animal/non-living thing with human characteristics.

The assignment claimed that statements like "Whales have devised numerous strategies over the years to survive in their environement" that i was 'biologically unsound' Meaning, it's wrong bc whales can't be written about as if they rational thought. It was weird. I think im rambling.

[Shadow]

Didnt bother reading the thread.........just wanted to put in my 2 cents.

Some animals are unintelligent because......

A dog chases his own tail. A dog licks his private parts.

A monkey eats his own fleas. A monkey uses his own poop as a weapon

A hamster doesnt know when to stop on the treadmill........

yeah my 2 cents........

[Deathinstinct]

A dog chases his own tail.
Most dogs don't do this, though the ones that do are indeed stupid. All dogs are not created equal, so don't treat them as such.
A dog licks his private parts.
Quite a few people wish they could do that.
A hamster doesnt know when to stop on the treadmill........
Yeah humans never do that. Thinks of gym with treadmills ... Oh wait humans do the same thing. I guess that means humans are stupid, unintelligent creatures too.

Sorry but your examples prove nothing.

[Ketari-san]

I guess we humans consider animals to be "unintelligent" on the account that we dont want to feel threatened by their own intelligence.Take dolphins,which can communicate using clicks.People feel intimidated i guess and becasue of this they decide to harm the animals(i.e i saw a pic of a man burning a dolphins blowhole with his ciggarette).Sharks are considered "stupid"while in reality have a great intelligence.I,for one,dont consider animals "unintelligent" and am angry at those who do.(<-- obviously their IQ is not too high hehehe)

This was really said by a boy in my science class.
You know,there was this girl with half a brain and she was smarter than me and Jeff(name changed for certain reasons)...COMBINED(these two have whole brains)

[Damage,Inc.]

READ THIS BEFORE U MAKE THE NEXT POST

their IQ is low?... *sighs* some ppl don't even understand what it means when someone says: fact!.... u still use the word intelligenc here... and again : the examples wth dolphins... they don't think about it but follow impulses!!! ... and sharks and other animals don't have somethin like "high IQ" ... it's a wrong expression... and who wants to come up with anothe word like "clever"or"smart" ..animals ain't "clever"or"smart" 2! ......

besides: humans r animals 2 ... so again wrong expression... better use : nonhuman-animals...

[Praetoriani]

Your post says "Read this before ??? post"...


But I can't read it! Something went wrong uploading the message to the Narutofan forum server, apparently, because it's severely distorted and I can't read it properly unless I have some master code cracker next to me to decipher that. ^^

[Deathinstinct]

the examples wth dolphins... they don't think about it but follow impulses!!!Yes dolphins instinctively perform tricks for trainers with the insintive for fish. Think before you post.
and sharks and other animals don't have somethin like "high IQ"
If that's true then state facts. As of now your only wasting everyone's time, so come up with some facts to support your case.
besides: humans r animals 2 ... so again wrong expression... better use : nonhuman-animals... Wrong, humans are just as ignorant as any other higher order organism.

[Damage,Inc.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_intelligence

there u'll see that learnin is an impulse 2 !
it has nothin to do with logical thinkin when some chimps ask for apples by pictures.. it has to do with good and bad experiences,... not with logical thinkin ... the impulse says eat and the chimp shows onto a pic with an apple for example... it's nothin special when they learn such things.. intelligence is somethin which lets one develope own thoughts and make up logical thought even without experiences when onedoes now wut good and bad is...

whatever it's 2 difficult to explain it all now... but u really don't seem to have ever been in contact with that topic so... don't say i'm stealin anyones time since u r the ignorant one here ...

[kireato]

@_@

If i understand the previous post well enough... Then he's saying that intelligence is the capacity to make logical thoughts even without experience?
I think you just pwned yourself though... Because all logical thoughts are based on something: you make an assumption and then develop a thought to reach to a conclusion. And experience is necessary to make assumptions.

As far as i know, animals have brains just like we do. Thus they can think just like we do. The way their thoughts form is the same as ours. The difference lies in capacity. Some animal brains are capable of doing things which we can't.

Dolphin for example have an awesome capacity to work with 3-D. We just aren't capable of imagining things the way they can. But that's natural: they need these kinds of specializations to move efficiently in the underwater world.

Some geniuses are capable od such awesome things... They can crack codes, see patterns and have different creative thoughts... And autist can do the same while having a malfunctioning brain...

So, i don't know... I've never considered animals to be unintelligent. I've never cared about it either. I'm also hardly aware of why people would consider them to be unintelligent... Guess everything happens, but then... We've seen man consider it's own kind to be inferior in many different aspects so... It's hardly surprising man has such thoughts.

It's called lack of information and the desire for power.

[Ketari-san]

Damage Inc, htere is this lady who works with sharks.She wrote a real biography of herslef and put what happened.Sharks are capable of telling light from dark gross from good and pain from non pain.And they r not just garbage disposlals as many like to say.They dont eat humans.They mistake them for seals on their surfboard or when swimming.

[Damage,Inc.]

ketari-san ... don't get it rite?.... and all the others the same.. my point s that animals have no intelligence in the way we do... it's the fault of the missing synapsis... humans can make decisions without basin on an experience of their own.. the most likely way is by watchin tv.. or just comparin one situation with another... they don't need the same situation!..... still ... still it's 2 much 2 explain..watch BBC ppl!

Edit. discovery channel and animal planet r useful here 2 ^^

[kireato]

...
Well, if i add all your posts, i'm pretty sure you could explain something, nay?
Sure, animals don't have our type of intelligence, but they do have some form of intelligence. Their brain can be as capable, if not more, as ours in certain situations.

And humans do need to base themselves on an experience of their own to make a decision... In fact, we always do so. or are you suggesting we all act randomly? Because in that case, we indeed would need no kind of experience...

...
I'll give you an example. Think birds are intelligent? They've got a tiny brain, right? their intelligence seem non existent.
Well, give a crow a piece of metal and give him something to reach... The crow will understand the properties of the metal, twist it and form a hook to grab whatever he cares for...

Obviously, animals aren't intelligent like we are. But our intelligence is limited, and the point here is: why do humans consider animals unintelligent?

(And can't you write any better? It's absolutely horrible to read and understand what you write...)

[Deathinstinct]

Instinct - inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli.

inborn - present at birth but not necessarily hereditary.
So how is a dog or dolphin performing tricks (taught behavior) an instinct?? Oh and your weblink presents a question, not an answer.

humans can make decisions without basin on an experience of their own. If you don't base your decisions on experience, then your an amateur. ALL actions done by ALL animals are done without experience the first time they are done. That statement lacks anyform of reason or logic.

[Feathers!]

well i consider any animal that cant play chess unintelligent. disregard that it was probably a joke. animals are meant for food or companions or working the farm. if they were so intelligent they wouldnt let us eat them.

Whats the deal with dolphins anyway... if theyre so smart why dont they rebuild atlantis?

Edit: This question is a joke. so're my answers.

[Kaptink]

Completely off subject here but did you know hippos kill more humans than any other animal in Africa, seriously its true

[tri-sapphire]

Whats the deal with dolphins anyway... if theyre so smart why dont they rebuild atlantis?

"Man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much – the wheel, New York, wars and so on – whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man – for precisely the same reasons. "-The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

:amuse

[shinobi_hunter]

I think we consider them "unitelligent" because

1. They can't talk so we think they're stupid because even a three year old could do it.
2. We humans don't really like anyone being better than us(who does?) so we like to believe that we are superior to everyone else.

Besides, not all animals are "unitelligent", some animals like dolphins are smarter than us even though they can't talk.

[kungfuchopstickz]

Because we are the only animals capable of thinking long term not just based on instincts. We are capable of organized speech and visual communication on a more complex level than just *bark* for "get out of my territory" and *piss* for "this is my territory."

[skippy]

Humans can be dumber than doughnuts at times but animals are relatively 'unintelligent' because they didn't make uber cool weapons to kill each other *sarcasm off*

[Masaki]

In order to be intellegent, you must first destroy your planet and others of your species with no important reason.

[syrin]

animals arent stupid, they are just not as intelligent as humans in certain ways. We view intelligence as communicative ability, use of tools, sciences and technologies, and this is why most animals would not be considered intelligent.

There are some pretty smart animals out there as well, squids, dolphins, chimps, etc.

[yo586]

well really in order to answer this question one has to operationally define intelligence. meaning, in less scientific speak, one has to give intelligence an exact definition so that it can be compared between different animals.
many people have come up with their own definitions and tests for measuring intelligence, and all are different in how they choose to define what intelligence exactly means.
and the reason we find animals unintelligent is because, generally speaking, we design these tests of intelligence so that humans always come out before other animals. for example, if we were to define intelligence as "the animal that swims the best" (which is really dumb definition but only seeks to serve the point) then humans would most certainly NOT be on top. but we, in general, define intelligence in ways that humans always are on top of the list. I'm sure there are a couple interesting definitions for intelligence out there that have other animals coming close or beating out humans in a quantitative intelligence test.

[Batman]

Because despite the fact that their, faster, stronger, more reflexive, can fly throught the skies, breathe under water, and have other capabilities, we can take themall out with a hand pistol and a serenge.

[gitwer]

Humans consider animals unintelligent because they cant speak like a human nor are they capable of building a civilization. Why do humans think they could judge other creatures as "Stupid'?

Er, because we can communicate and build civilizations and other species (with the smallest of exceptions) can't? :smile-big

Opposable thumbs are cool too!
-G

[yo586]

Er, because we can communicate and build civilizations and other species (with the smallest of exceptions) can't?

Opposable thumbs are cool too!
-G

This is true gitwer, by almost every definition of intelligent we are the most intelligent creature we know of. But where I have a problem with this is that many think it makes us superior. Sure we can build civilizations and communicate more effeciently than other animals, but there are so many things other animals do that we don't. So we aren't superior, just better at certain things.

[gitwer]

I thought "being better" was the definition of superior...? :confused

As far as the things that animals can do that we as humans biologically cannot... well, we as a species have done a pretty good job by using reason and comprehension to emulate these things (ie flight, underwater respiration, increased landspeed, etc.)

Not to sound like I'm "bashing animals," which sounds kinda silly as a concept :P But what we have that they lack is the ability to improve ourselves through reason and implementation of our findings. That's why we're in planes, trains, subs, and automobiles, and animals haven't started any book clubs yet. None that I know of, anyway.

[makenza]

Animals aren't stupid...why? if they're stupid then why are they able to survive? they are just taught to be unintelligent becuz they only do simple stuff which is to EAT,SLEEP,REPRODUCE, and survive. they do not have time for leisure like we humans do.besides you must not call them stupid cuz sum animals can kill us at their own will which isnt stupid.

BUT we can consider ourselves superior cuz of all the living things on earth ONLY WE HUMANS have the ability to PRESERVE and DESTROY our precious little earth and all other living things that lives on earth.

[GaaraOfTheDesert]

1 word: ignorance

[gitwer]

1 word: ignorance

Ignorance of what? The scientific contributions of the canine community that have heretofore gone undiscovered? The volumes of classical music written by treefrogs which we have yet to hear? What are humans ignorant too, please expound.

[Kamendex]

Ignorance of what? The scientific contributions of the canine community that have heretofore gone undiscovered? The volumes of classical music written by treefrogs which we have yet to hear? What are humans ignorant too, please expound.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAH AHAHHAHA

OMfg rep for you

and what abilites do animals have that we dont have?

plus whenever a dog decides to invent a toilet and not shit in my yard i'll consider animals intellegent

[fiddles]

but there are animals that have built societies, and social sturctures, humans do not consider all animals to be 'stupid' it is just the ones who cannot understand basic human reasoning. Take dolphins for example they can learn sighn language, but obviously ants cannot, form an ants P.O.V humans would be considered stupid because we cannot understand ant language and cannot build complex and uniformed socities like them.....wow that was THE biggest crap-on......

[GaaraOfTheDesert]

Ignorance of what? The scientific contributions of the canine community that have heretofore gone undiscovered? The volumes of classical music written by treefrogs which we have yet to hear? What are humans ignorant too, please expound.

So you would call an organism that uses only 15 procent of its total brain capacity smart? Humans are too dumb to even see how dumb they actually are. We are born in a world of hypocrisy and ignorance, yet we call ourselves smarter then animals because we can speak and think in a way they can't. Christians and other religious people are always stating that you shouldn't kill (10 Commandments) but they also participate in wars and they also eat meat. People are just too ignorant too see the true value of life.

[Deathinstinct]

uses only 15 procent of its total brain That's at any one time. Every part of the brain is used, just not at once.

Intelligence is difficult to measure, because several actions denoted as 'intelligent' occur in rather unintelligent creatures. An example is agriculture. Leaf cutter ants (who are blind and dumb) cut a special leaf and use the leaves to grow mushrooms, which they then eat. The ants also groom the leaves to remove unwanted bacteria, fungus, and to extend the life of the mush.

[KazeYama]

Animals are considered unintelligent because humans are the most powerful and dominate species on the planet. If animals start to take out people with tanks and guns and challenge us for the top of the food chain then they are intelligent. Anything you can kill you are more powerful than and knowledge is power so we are smarter than animals :P

[ExAzrael]

I dont' see how the onyl way an animal can be intelligent is by starting war with war machines.

Personally, I feel war is pretty stupid.

[Kitsune101]

It is because 'animals' even though we are animals, cannot speak our language and are unable to converse and effectivaly interact with 'us.' Humans are way to stuck up, have you noticed how when you kill a human is i labeled murder, and you could die for your actions, but killing an animal is different, you dont go to such extremes. It is as if killing the human is worse then taking the life of an innocent animal. In my eyes everyone has murdered, just not murdereer a human, not a life goes by when someone gets mad at a fly and kills it or you find it fun to kill an ant *shurgs* this is something I have been debating with myself for some time know.

[Kitsune101]

mabye there intelligence is unlike ours. Our (humans) definition of intelligence is the knowldge of the world, sensations and physics (absolutes), but there intelligence could indeed be one of another stand point. Intelligence that has nothing to do with raw knowledge, but of nature, survivial and peace. All which humans have yet to master. Anmials flee up to .75 hours ahead of an tornado or large magnitude earthquake, when as humans stand and die.

[gitwer]

So you would call an organism that uses only 15 procent of its total brain capacity smart? Humans are too dumb to even see how dumb they actually are. We are born in a world of hypocrisy and ignorance, yet we call ourselves smarter then animals because we can speak and think in a way they can't. Christians and other religious people are always stating that you shouldn't kill (10 Commandments) but they also participate in wars and they also eat meat. People are just too ignorant too see the true value of life.

Actually I say that humans are smarter than animals because I CAN say that. Animals can't.

We can do a lot more than speak and think in ways they can't. We can process, build, destroy, hypothesize... hell, we're capable of having this discussion.

This is all relative here, and it's funny because you say that we're missing the true value of life by saying animals aren't as intelligent as (most) humans. These are COMPLETELY sepearate issues. I haven't read anyone saying "animals are stupid, therefore we should destroy them all." (If anyone has said this, it was silly so I've chosen to ignore it :P)

In this world of hypocrisy and ignorance, my conscience is clear when I say that animals do not have the mental capacity to do the things that we as humans do. Simple as that.

[Kitsune101]

So you would call an organism that uses only 15 procent of its total brain capacity smart? Humans are too dumb to even see how dumb they actually are. We are born in a world of hypocrisy and ignorance, yet we call ourselves smarter then animals because we can speak and think in a way they can't. Christians and other religious people are always stating that you shouldn't kill (10 Commandments) but they also participate in wars and they also eat meat. People are just too ignorant too see the true value of life.

First of all, 'shouldn't' differs from absolute actions, exponentially. When in a war, you are 'techniqally' send there to kill, but you end up killing for self-protection. YOu are making it sound like they kill in a war for there own pleasure, even if a man is eating his ration while camping and you come across him a shoot him in the temple, that was protection. Ultimately that man could prove as a treat, a future threat. Eating meat, how is eating meat killing? So your saying once you but a burger from Wendy's or whatever your slauhtering a cow in the process, i think not.

[ResoluteOne]

Because if animals are set on the same level as us, we will not have innate superiority and many people will feel guilt about killing or eating something that they consider their equal.

[Ikaramashu]

^
True but when i kill a rooster i still feel guilt for killing it cuz i took away it right to live.
Anyways some animal can be smarter that us humands.ppl say that we are smarter that animals cuz we can talk but animal dont got to talk to be smart some animals got there own comunication methods and i have to say some are more impressive that simply talking.Talking is our comunication method and the animals got there own.

[NarutardKK]

Yeah, there is no way in heck that animals are unintelligent. They are just intelligent in different ways, and we being able to think broader and the fact that we are higher on the food chain, we think that we have more intelligence. Just like a horse would to a mouse.

And my cat that I have right now, is probably the smartest cat I have ever seen in my entire life! She's gotten to where she can open every cabinent door in our house, and she also knows how to open stuff with door-knobs. It's just she can't get a good grip to open it. It's freaky yet cool at the same time.

NOW tell me if animals are unintelligent. :notrust

[DeathGuise_of_Oblivion]

The truth lies in this answer: Opposible Thumbs. We consider Gorilla's and Oranggatangs(sp) kinda smart cuz they use these magnificent things. Anything else is reffered to as a ignorant animal.

And for all of you that have no thumbs...sucks to be you. No seriously it sucks. I have no clue how you guys can survive with out them. For that you are true heros. And yet you suck...I'm not quite sure why, but I'll find put soon enough. (Refering to those who will flame me)

[Aldredian_Sahn]

Nature was once highly respected and everything we humans did went along with the balance of nature and us. Then one day (I forget the guy's name. I'll just call him Joe) Joe comes along and basically says nature is a whore and needs to be tamed (I learned that in my architecture class) and ever since then we all think (at least most Westerners) we live "outside" of nature with our own timeline and we can do whatever we see fit with it. Animals are part of "that" world and they're not all that important to "our" world. Since we can control the world, it makes us smarter and more intelligent.

We've been blinded by these ideas as we are indeed a part of this world, and only a part. I think it is dumb for us to believe we can control it and use it for our own wills for if we continue as we are doing now, we will only bring on our own destruction. <-- Sar, I went off topic a little bit, but above^ is why we really began seeing animals as being below us.

[Mangekyou_Master]

It's probably because we think that if you can't voice your own ideas you aren't intelligent.

[shizuru]

we evolved from monkeys so we are animals just the same:D
but we have less hair/fur.... lol ^_^;;

[General Shino]

Its because we are on a whole diferent level from them....

other animals...are..well....dumb as hell.....sure they can do some cool stuff....stilll dumb as hell though

[shizuru]

other animals...are..well....dumb as hell.....sure they can do some cool stuff....stilll dumb as hell though
my cats are silly (very random i know)

[Jedah]

Because we are ignorant .


The interesting part is we are only slightly more intelligent then dolphins . Scientists who converted an IQ test to something dolphins can understand have determined that The max / min Dolphin IQ actually touches parts of the max / min Human IQ . A genius Dolphin is actually smarter then 40% of the human population .

[Necroziel]

we outnumber most animals and if anything gets in our way we make t extinct all except our mighty overlords the microbes

[Kira Yamato]

Probably because some people think/believe that animals aren't able to communicate/intepret symbols and assign them meanings like humans can. Then there's the part about human reasoning which can be very complex and sometimes defy logic, meaning were very dynamic organisms with goals, opinions and forsight (which isn't a reflex or ingrain part of survival) that may not be present in most animals.

[Aruka]

myabe because animals doesn't have their own will. They can't talk, they can't do stuffs like humans can... that's basically it.

[Scorpio3.14]

Maybe because most animals arnt intelligent? Atleast not by human standards. Even the smartest of animals are about as intelligent as our babies. Sure, some animals can recognize shapes and patterns, but thats not that wouldnt be impressive at all if it was a human doing it.

[cool2not]

Because humans are arrogant assholes. I’d like to see Albert Einstein or some other so-called genius among men last a month in the woods without supplies.

[Kage_Kama]

Humans consider animals unintelligent because they cant speak like a human nor are they capable of building a civilization. Why do humans think they could judge other creatures as "Stupid'?


Not all humans think that. I for one believe that animals can be very intelligent. It's just that we humans are hella smarter. :cool

[zionforsell]

Human considers animals to be unintelligent because we human can reason and create new things. But it is also irony how intelligent human managed to destroy nature while the "unintelligent" animals lived for millions of years and didn't harm it one bit!

[Kage_Kama]

Human considers animals to be unintelligent because we human can reason and create new things. But it is also irony how intelligent human managed to destroy nature while the "unintelligent" animals lived for millions of years and didn't harm it one bit!


How can you "harm" nature? You can't. Nature cannot be hurt nor feel pain. Humans don't destroy it. We change and manipulate it. The reason animals haven't done this before is because they are not smart enough, nor have the dexterity to.

[zionforsell]

Oh my GOSH!!! So we didn't harm nature? So nature is just an enviroment for us, superior beings, to live and therefore we can do whatever we please with it??? Wow, I wonder if the big hole in the ozone came from where??? I wonder if that is a change or a harm??? Changing something to the worse is not smartness, it is stupidity! I have no idea there is someone who is still ignorant to those problems. Human is also an animal. You like it or not, it is the truth. Human has damaged the planet close to desvastation, that's truth as well. I think we should have an enviroment club opened in here. So some human beings can open their eyes, stop thinking themselves superior, and stop avoiding responsibility of what human has done!

[Kage_Kama]

Oh my GOSH!!! So we didn't harm nature? So nature is just an enviroment for us, superior beings, to live and therefore we can do whatever we please with it??? Wow, I wonder if the big hole in the ozone came from where??? I wonder if that is a change or a harm??? Changing something to the worse is not smartness, it is stupidity! I have no idea there is someone who is still ignorant to those problems. Human is also an animal. You like it or not, it is the truth. Human has damaged the planet close to desvastation, that's truth as well. I think we should have an enviroment club opened in here. So some human beings can open their eyes, stop thinking themselves superior, and stop avoiding responsibility of what human has done!


1. Yes, it is an environment for us "superior beings"; what a nice turn of phrase. Glad you put the idea in my head. :P

2. Any "holes" in the ozone are usually caused by certain gasses that weaken it, most of which are produced by none other than nature itself. One volcanic eruption can spew 100x the polution and ozone-destroying gasses that an entire city can create in a month. Stick THAT in your pipe and smoke it! :cool

3. We didn't change things for the worse. In fact, quite the opposite. We've improved our lives.

4. I never said humans WEREN'T animals. Stop putting words in my mouth. :oh

5. No, humans aren't that powerful (yet). Most of the damage done is caused by nature NATURALLY wearing down. There's no such thing as perpetual energy. Come on now, and you're calling ME ignorant? :oh

6. Yeah? Well I think we should have an anti-hippie club so hippies like you can open your eyes and stop blaming humanity for being...humanity. :cool

7. We are superior, and I never said I was avoiding responsibility. I realize humans contribute to it, but you're fussing over it like we're the main cause.

8. Just calm down and stop crying. Better? Good. I don't wanna start anything so I'm sorry, okay? Better? Good.

9. Would you be mad if I said "I suddenly have the urge to buy an SUV, fill it with the highest-octane gas I can find, and drive it around killing animals in the road until all of it is gone?" Or what if I saide "I think I'll go level a rain forest."? Would that be over-stepping boundaries? :oh

10. Don't be so offended. It's just my opinion, 'snot like it should really matter much to you. :cool

[cool2not]

Not all humans think that. I for one believe that animals can be very intelligent. It's just that we humans are hella smarter. :cool

so much smarter that we will probably one day destroy the environment or blow our selves up. Humans WISH they could be as "perfect" as nature was before we laid concrete all over it. Look at global warming and about a dozen other problems we don't care much about. nature was almost in perfect balance before we tipped the scales, our failed attempts to be god or manipulate nature are hardly signs of genius, in truth they are signs of arrogance. But the environment is always next generation's problem, so i have nothing to worry about as i most likely won't see humans kill themselves. But if we stay the course that we are going that is exactly what's going to happen.

[zionforsell]

so much smarter that we will probably one day destroy the environment or blow our selves up. Humans WISH they could be as "perfect" as nature was before we laid concrete all over it. Look at global warming and about a dozen other problems we don't care much about. nature was almost in perfect balance before we tipped the scales, our failed attempts to be god or manipulate nature are hardly signs of genius, in truth they are signs of arrogance. But the environment is always next generation's problem, so i have nothing to worry about as i most likely won't see humans kill themselves. But if we stay the course that we are going that is exactly what's going to happen.

Exactly. So glad there is also someone who knows what are we doing to enviroment. We change things to the better? For whom??? Ourselves!!! When you change things to make yourself ONLY feel comfortable, it doesn't count as an acomplishment. Oh, who ever said everyone feel comfortable??? Do you know that for the whole world to have the standard living that US has, we need energy and resources or THREE planets combine??? Which means US alone used up 80% of earth's natural resources. There is not much left for the rest of the world. Is that better? By the way, I am not a hippi but a person who don't make excuse for what we did wrong. So I guess human went such a down turn that you cant believe there is actually some nice-dressing people who care about enviroment.

I don't start crisis with you, Kage-kama. But posting irresponsible thoughts is obviously open for people to argue with you. Yes, you sound ignorant (just like some of people are). Only ignorants would say something like: "Oh, the earth wears itself down naturally". If you have a problem with me being honest, then you should just ignore my post.

[evilkain]

i think people are just losers for thinking animals are inferior, because humans are animals too.

[ii_can_save_myself]

people are animal and they dont always realize it. They seem to think that they are better bc they bulit all these thing we have (tht destorys the world) and they believe that there are more smarter than any animal

[Diceman]

Thread necro ftw!:gar

[Cax]

You know, ii_can_save_myself, it's good you're making plenty of posts here in the Cafe but can't you post with better grammar? It affects the overall structure of your posts and I can't appreciate it as much as a well written response. The way you type is extremely half assed.

[ii_can_save_myself]

You know, ii_can_save_myself, it's good you're making plenty of posts here in the Cafe but can't you post with better grammar? It affects the overall structure of your posts and I can't appreciate it as much as a well written response. The way you type is extremely half assed.

oh sorry:(
i dont always read what i write and just type it sometimes

[TheDragonWarrior]

MOST humans consider animals unintelligent because they seldom see animals do actions done out of intelligence

and/or

they cant see that what an animal is doing is considered intelligent because they dont seem to care if animals are capable of doing intelligent actions.

-Unless they need the poor animal for a project or something.

intelligence is subjective.
One person might be smarter than anyone,while somebody else could be outwitted by a household cat.
*purr*

-Po.

[SmackyTheFrog]

Obviously it's so we can do whatever we want with them without feeling bad about it.

[DeterminedIdiot]

cause people think themseleves better then everything else. they seem to have to think like that for comfort in my opinion

[Ice Prince]

I don't think animals are unintelligent. Humans are more advanced to be sure, but that doesn't mean animals are stupid. They've got their own type of intelligence and survival instincts.

I mean, animals, even when they are young, generally know what their predators are. They can learn to hunt, not to stray from the herd, how to communicate with one another, sense danger, etc.

So no, I do not find animals unintelligent at all.

[Shinobi Mugen]

Because animals are dumb as fuck.

[Tokoyami]

Because humans are unintelligent.


:zaru.

[Lain]

Because we can kill them. If there is an animal smarter than us, then it can invent a weapon that could trump our own.

[The Space Cowboy]

We don't. We're just the Apex Predator

[parker pyne]

This seems like one of those questions that call for a blindingly obvious answer, but it got me thinking :hmm

'Intelligence' in a western society refers to cognitive ability, it seems.

However, Cooijmans defines intelligence as "the sum of evolutionary ability", and that seems about right. Cognitive ability and evolutionary ability are heavily interlinked; the better your brain is at recognising patterns, extrapolating links and retaining knowledge, the more likely you are to survive.

If we're going to refer to IQs (and I'm talking about stanford binet, cattell, etc), the smartest of animals would score as 'retarded' in relation to humans. A higher IQ usually equates to a longer lifespan.

Us being the 'apex predator' somewhat reflects our evolutionary ability, and in turn our (it somehow hurts to say) superior intelligence: we are certainly not the strongest animals physically, but we have used tools, traps, equipment, whateverthefuck to defend ourselves, while less intelligent animals are left to rely on their innate brawn. Also; animals seem to only grasp the present, while humans can plan for the future or speculate the past to avoid repeating mistakes (another evolutionary funtion). I'm sure the more smarter animals have this ability too, but in a far lesser degree to humans, and I imagine it'd take far longer for them learn this. This is not to say they are unintelligent, they'd be far eliminated from the gene pool if they were!

Humans also have the remarkable ability to see what's not there. I reckon that's a great indication of genius - the ability to extrapolate the unknown from the known.

[dinhosaur]

Because mankind is arrogant and only cares about itself in the present? We are like locusts upon the earth.

[fghj]

Humans consider animals unintelligent because they cant speak like a human nor are they capable of building a civilization. Why do humans think they could judge other creatures as "Stupid'?
Well because they cant speak like a human nor are they capable of building a civilization.

[Hikaru-Kaoru]

Animals cant work together if there is no personal gain unlike humans.
With test with chimps they showed that.
They cant speak languages or get the idea to use tools.(with some exceptions, but most of them cant)

But I dont think that they are unintelligent.

[Uchiha Mizukage]

Animals are smarter than half the humans I've seen. :oh
But its probably the same for animals, they probably think we are very stupid. I will laugh when all scientific research is proved wrong when a dog tells his owner to go get his own damn ball. :grin

[Pacchi]

Doesn't science consider us as animals?

[The Luiz]

Perhaps the ability to communicate between the species could be considered a standard measure of intelligence?

And they does communicate to each other. They just can't talk,it's not important.
But meh,it's just the good n old mirror thing. "The more it is similar to me,the better".

[Tokoyami]

And they does communicate to each other. They just can't talk,it's not important.
But meh,it's just the good n old mirror thing. "The more it is similar to me,the better".Not really.

They can vocalize but theres no structure no.......syntax I think it is.....

[taily kun]

Because compared to us, they are. Most of us, anyway.

[taily kun]

Because we can kill them. If there is an animal smarter than us, then it can invent a weapon that could trump our own.

no.


no.

[Carsul]

Animals are smarter than half the humans I've seen. :oh
But its probably the same for animals, they probably think we are very stupid. I will laugh when all scientific research is proved wrong when a dog tells his owner to go get his own damn ball. :grin



"For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons.

Curiously enough, the dolphins had long known of the impending destruction of the planet Earth and had made many attempts to alert mankind to the danger; but most of their communications were misinterpreted as amusing attempts to punch footballs or whistle for tidbits, so they eventually gave up and left the Earth by their own means shortly before the Vogons arrived.

The last ever dolphin message was misinterpreted as a surprisingly sophisticated attempt to do a double-backwards-somersault through a hoop whilst whistling the 'Star Spangled Banner', but in fact the message was this: So long and thanks for all the fish."

:edu


We are actually only the third most intelligent species on the planet!

:beardthing

[parker pyne]

Winsome post, Carsul.

[Carsul]

Bump cUZ i LIKE tis Threaddd

[KawpyNinja]

...kuz we drive fancy cars.

[Violent By Design]

Though this discussion has gotten way off topic. The ability to innovate is defintly a major factor of what separates us from animals.

[Arcadia]

Our level of intelligence makes us feel superior to them to the point that some can be condescending. However, I do consider animals to be intelligent. Now obviously some more than others.

Just because they didn't develop like we did doesn't mean they aren't intelligent. It just means that they aren't on the level of our intelligence.

[Mitarashi Anko]

Iye, iye... the word "intelligent" isn't being used in the context of the antonym of "stupid." It's meant as a - rather inadequate, since it's so easy to misinterpret - way of describing something to have not only id, but an ego.

Heh, that's why I personally avoid using "intelligent" in this sense, because some might mistake me for claiming animals and other living organisms are stupid (which they are not), and believe that I claim humans are above them, when we're just animals too :P



Because we can kill them. If there is an animal smarter than us, then it can invent a weapon that could trump our own.
Aiyaaa... we better watch out for those egyptian vultures then.

[Dark Plague]

Lacking intelligence does not make an animal stupid. It relies on instinct, something that can help it and as Jack London believed, was superior to our own "intellect". (Read his short story, "To Build a Fire")

So yes, I consider animals unintelligent because they are, but I don't call that a bad thing. Instinct comes very handy in some situations.