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 Off-Topic / Debate / 17086
17085  |  17087
Subject: 
Re: Evolution vs Scientific Creationism
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Thu, 11 Jul 2002 23:40:44 GMT
Viewed: 
5317 times
  
When anthropologists encountered stone age tribes in Africa they exposed
them to many objects of the industrial world including pictures. They didn't
perceive them as a representative image, let alone the object they were
depicting. To expose a dolphin to a mirror which is something they have
never encountered in their natural environment is like exposing us to the
water flow of a school of fish and expect us to figure out which way they
are going to turn. A dolphin can recognize any other dolphin as an
individual and they have individual calls. I'm sure there's more than 3
other animals that can recognize themselves in mirrors. Lord knows my cat
routinely talks to me through his reflection and acknowledges himself. And
my mother's budgie has goten wise to the bird in the mirror. Not being a
marine biologist here, but mabye their sense of self is anchored in their
relationship in the pod?

cheers, Joseph

In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Joseph Williams writes:

The one thing that sets us apart from other species is language and writing. • [snip]
Beyond that we are not better than dolphins.

Well, there are only three organisms that routinely recognize individual
identity through graphic representations and the notion of self as tested with
a mirror.  Dolphins aren't one of them.  We are.  Obviously there is yet much
to know about our comparitive psychologies, but they don't express a
recognition of self in any way that we can figure.

I'd like to further add that I don't believe humans are more
'highly evolved' than other animals.

Right!  We are all the ultimate bad-ass (as Neal Stephenson might say).

Chris



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Evolution vs Scientific Creationism
 
(...) I call "bullhockey." Citation, please. This just screams residual imperial mentality and the racist anthropology of the pre-WWI era--and the fact that you use it to make a point about nonhumans is extremely problematic. best LFB (22 years ago, 12-Jul-02, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Evolution vs Scientific Creationism
 
(...) [snip] (...) Well, there are only three organisms that routinely recognize individual identity through graphic representations and the notion of self as tested with a mirror. Dolphins aren't one of them. We are. Obviously there is yet much to (...) (22 years ago, 11-Jul-02, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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