Are cetaceans more intelligent than humans

[autisticdragonkin]

http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_a...nid_perceptions_of_cetacean_intelligence.html

I would say that even if small groups of dolphins are more intelligent than small groups of humans, humans have the ability to coordinate themselves in large groups that results in an effective intelligence hundreds of times higher than that of dolphins

Also the aesthetic stuff mentioned in the article is also completely pointless. Whether dolphins derive more pleasure than us when looking at the stars is irrelevant because nothing comes from it

 

[Red]

Intelligence is subjective.
However it is worth noting that Orcas have a larger and more developed area of the brain that processes empathy, social bonds and emotions than humans do.

 

[DNJACK]

I define intelligence as the ability to adapt to different situations. Humans are better.

 

[autisticdragonkin]

Intelligence is subjective.

Although there can be debate about the nature of what defines intelligence in order to be a useful definition it must be quantifiable if difficult. Nobody will dispute that Einstein is more intelligent than a mentally disabled chicken for example which also indicates that the definitions do have common elements such as processing power and adaptivity

However it is worth noting that Orcas have a larger and more developed area of the brain that processes empathy, social bonds and emotions than humans do.

We can use systematic planning to accomplish what those parts used to do and we can do it better that way. External processing units such as calculators and computers and books should be seen as new areas of the brain when comparing intelligence cross-species because they are a near universal adaptation by humans. As a result legal codes are to humans what that area of the brain is to dolphins

 

[Red]

We can use systematic planning to accomplish what those parts used to do and we can do it better that way. External processing units such as calculators and computers and books should be seen as new areas of the brain when comparing intelligence cross-species because they are a near universal adaptation by humans

Sauce?
A brain is not a computer.

 

[Hat]

We have harpoons; we win.

 

[cumrobbery]

dolphin man smart.

 

[autisticdragonkin]

A brain is not a computer.

I never said that a brain was a computer. I said that humans perform cognitive functions externally to what is conventionally called our brains. I am simply arguing that the brain should be defined as the device that performs an organism's cognitive activity rather than a large physical collection of neurons

 

[Red]

I never said that a brain was a computer. I said that humans perform cognitive functions externally to what is conventionally called our brains.

Then stop using computer terms. What does this even mean?
Our brain is where all cognitive functions are preformed as far as we are aware. We aren't making decisions with our livers. Yes, there are creatures that use different parts of the body to process their surroundings (ex cockroaches) but there are no mammals in this group. Hormones such as adrenaline can influence our decisions, yes, but that doesn't make our adrenal glands tiny little thought centers.

I will re-state my point and hopefully be understood. I don't really have an opinion on this matter myself, I just wanted to throw the fact on the table that the area of the brain in Orca whales responsible for emotional relationships is larger and more developed than any other animal in the world. We don't know what this means or what it implies about Orcinus intelligence because we cannot speak Orca.

 

[XYZpdq]

Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy has a good joke about this.

 

[autisticdragonkin]

Our brain is where all cognitive functions are preformed as far as we are aware.

A cetacean or chimpanzee may trade something with another member of its species using its brain in order to figure out what price it should give. In contrast a human may use a computer program in order to find the optimum price to sell it at (these do exist and I have used them). To say that this makes humans less intelligent than cetaceans or chimpanzees is misunderstanding the situation. Humans merely managed to figure out a way to perform a process that would usually be performed within the traditional brain (inside our heads) in a different location. That means that we can use more of our brains to do things that cannot be easily performed elsewhere such as creativity.

 

[Red]

A cetacean or chimpanzee may trade something with another member of its species using its brain in order to figure out what price it should give. In contrast a human may use a computer program in order to find the optimum price to sell it at (these do exist and I have used them). To say that this makes humans less intelligent than cetaceans or chimpanzees is misunderstanding the situation. Humans merely managed to figure out a way to perform a process that would usually be performed within the traditional brain (inside our heads) in a different location. That means that we can use more of our brains to do things that cannot be easily performed elsewhere such as creativity.

You do realize that computers have not been around nearly long enough for actual evolution of the brain to take place, right?

 

[autisticdragonkin]

You do realize that computers have not been around nearly long enough for actual evolution of the brain to take place, right?

I did not say that this is limited to computers. Just the existence of external information storage as rudimentary as counting on fingers or a tally system is sufficient to accomplish this. Also this is evolutionarily recent so it will not have much of a physical change but it still has resulted in a change in usage. Later on in our evolutionary history our brains may change to a form better suited to their new usage but for now they still work despite having evolved for a different usage

 

[Vitriol]

This is not a 'deep thought' it is clickbait and the discussion has already devolved into bickering over definitions rather than principles. If you feel you can re word your intended topic in a way that might lead to discussion please pm me.

A more general topic on the nature of intelligence would be more appropriate than man v dolphin.