| > We're not the only intelligent life on earth. We cant even define intelligence or measure it meaningfully. If we can't define or measure intelligence meaningfully, how can you even claim we are 'intelligent' to begin with? > Elephants, crows, dolphins, octopi, chimps, orang utan are all clearly very smart The have levels of intelligence, but they are clearly not very smart. You couldn't even teach them the multiplication table or the basics of number theory. > and more intelligent than a human child. No species you listed is smarter than a human child. > Besides being biologically irrelevant, the separation between humans and animals creates this weird divide where we constantly assume that we are the only intelligent life. At the very least, we know that mammals with brains have some level of intelligence. Nobody claims humans are the only 'intelligent' life on earth. The claim is we are the most intelligent. And probably the only creatures intelligent enough to ponder about death, mortality, identity and soul. > Maybe one day we'll understand better what other minds are like and we'll understand better how we are not alone or special. Or maybe elephants, crows, dolphins, octopi, chimps, orangutans will better understand what other minds are like and they'll better understand how they are not alone or special? After all, they are 'very smart' according to you. |
> how can you even claim we are 'intelligent' to begin with?
because I can claim it. You're focusing on semantics and attacking the fact that a set definitions can't be done. I think debating the nature of whether semantics maps to a valid conceptualization is probably not very productive.
> they are clearly not very smart
Maybe in your opinion. They seem to surprise experts. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2120078/Nata...
> The claim is we are the most intelligent
No one in this thread has introduced this notion or tried to debate it.
> probably the only creatures intelligent enough to ponder about death
I would invite you to draw your own conclusions from this video, taken from Spy in the Wild. It shows monkeys processing the death of another monkey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaIH5tLmC8U
> After all, they are 'very smart' according to you
Why the dismissiveness? It comes across as just trying to win rather than having a genuine discussion. The question is a valid thing to contemplate. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10093641/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7471122/