We know something’s changed when scientists need to make these points. Maybe underestimating the significance of human intelligence plays a role. After all, if we are just clever apes, maybe lettuce is just-as-clever apes too. Maybe salad is murder…
Animal minds
Researchers puzzle over a dolphin who adopted a baby melon-headed whale
People anxious to cram all animal behavior into a Darwinian mold neglect the fact that temperaments among animals differ greatly. If we observe animal behavior long enough, we will surely see many departures from what is supposed to happen according to the theory. The animal does not actually know the theory; she does what occurs to her at the time and her temperament is bound to play a role.
Michael Egnor: Why human-ape similarity argues for human exceptionality
When everything is the same except the one thing that matters most, we can be sure we are onto a real difference.
Why can’t we make apes behave like people?
Many researchers think that apes are just like us and that
we’re not doing the right things to make them start behaving that way…
It makes no sense that octopuses should be so smart
One difficulty is that just how a life form comes to evolve “intelligence” is a difficult question. Being intelligent ourselves, we can easily see the advantages of intelligence. But that does not tell us how exactly it is acquired.
Proof of Darwinism at last! The babyface dog!
Pop science media tried to spin this as an “evolution” story, which is ridiculous.
The remarkable world of virus communication
Do viruses think? Not in the human sense. As with plants, these communications are signals, not abstractions. But the signals raise an important question: If viruses seek to remain in an organized state, why are they not “alive”? If they are not “alive,” what are they?
Inferring onward, from design to designer
One of the notorious talking points used by inveterate objectors to design theory, is that it is about stealth creationism. Closely tied, is the suggestion (or, assumption) that the claim that design inference on empirical sign only warrants inference to design as process is a dishonest stalking horse. Given a long saddening track record of Read More…
Epigenetic learning appears confirmed in nematodes; Weismann barrier broken
If this trait turns out to be widespread, it may help explain some puzzling aspects of animal behavior: specifically, how animals that are definitely not able to learn much individually appear to know things.
William Lane Craig vs. Ronald DeSousa: Difference between humans and orangutans
William Lane Craig takes it on, against an atheist who sees no difference
Michael Egnor: Can animals “reason”? My challenge to Jeffrey Shallit
Could Shallit be replaced by even the most talented and methodical of counting ravens?
Woke U fires prof, hires chimp ;)
A light-hearted look by neurosurgeon Michael Egnor at what would happen if we really thought that unreason is better than reason.
Logic & First Principles, 21: Insightful intelligence vs. computationalism
One of the challenges of our day is the commonplace reduction of intelligent, insightful action to computation on a substrate. That’s not just Sci Fi, it is a challenge in the academy and on the street — especially as AI grabs more and more headlines. A good stimulus for thought is John Searle as he Read More…
Science media: Insects can reason logically! Researchers: We never said that…
Could legacy science media actually afford to get it right? Could they afford a serious discussion?
AI meets Eek! Eek!
This summer, AI will be put through virtual mazes designed to test the intelligence of lab animals.