Is Smarter Better?

Debating the intelligence of animals can be as unsatisfying as arguing over free will. Which animals? What do you mean by intelligence? My cats may be smarter than I am, as they get free room and board and sleep all day.

The animals that are studied the most are the ones most like us. Over the past few decades it has become clear the great apes can learn some aspects of language and syntax, as can parrots and dolphins. Those animals are certainly smarter than most people thought they were. They learn.

A recent study shows that, to some species, learning is not necessarily better. Until someone proves to me learning it a bad thing for humans, I'll keep doing it.

This week, a look at if smarter is necessarily better for all animals.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering." - Ben Okri (Nigerian poet and novelist, 1959 - )

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