RE: Why humans are so distinct from other species?
February 16, 2013 at 12:50 pm
(This post was last modified: February 16, 2013 at 12:53 pm by Anomalocaris.)
(February 16, 2013 at 6:05 am)Meylis Wrote: Any thoughts on why humans differ so much from other species in terms of intelligence?
Define intelligent.
I rather disagree with Apo about whether our accomplishments are attributable largely to a set of hardwired social instincts, and most of us individually accomplish little that is intelligent beyond what is taught to us.
I think if put to task, a group of humans starting from scratch will spontanously and more rapidly home in on a wider range of clever, non-specifically-instictive actions to address the need to eat than any other animal.
Not necessarily bow and arrows from nothing - that probably does take incremental improvement and social transmission, but things like observing habits of animals, rapid trail and errors, etc.
That's my idea of raw individual intelligence - the generalized ability to efficiently utilize trials to detect and avoid errors and to very quickly home in on efficient solution to survival problems. I think we are rather better provided for in this at birth than any other animal that comes to mind.
What is your definition of Intelligence?
