[sci.bio] are chimps smarter than dolphins?

kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) (06/20/91)

can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  
 

cnorley@irus.rri.uwo.ca (Chris Norley) (06/20/91)

In article <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
>better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  
> 
	Well, I'm no expert, but I don't think you could get the dolphins to
hold their pencils. :-)

-- 
Chris Norley | Imaging Research Labs | Robarts' Research Institute
University Of Western Ontario | P.O. Box 5015, 100 Perth Drive
London, Ont., Canada, N6A 5K8 | Phone: (519) 663-5777 x4135 | Fax: (519)663-3789
Email: cnorley@irus.rri.uwo.ca with a led-filled snowshoe ,but not too seriously

dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark) (06/20/91)

In article <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
>better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  
> 

The answer should be, "no, an expert cannot tell us that."

David Mark
dmark@sun.acsu.buffalo.edu

frist@ccu.umanitoba.ca (06/20/91)

In article <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
>better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  
> 

I'm not an expert, but I think the dolphins would have a tough time filling
out the optical scanning forms. At least chimps could be taught to use a
pencil.

===============================================================================
Brian Fristensky                |  
Department of Plant Science     | Freedom begins when you tell Mrs. Grundy
University of Manitoba          | to go fly a kite.
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2  CANADA    |  
frist@ccu.umanitoba.ca          | 
Office phone:   204-474-6085    |   - Robert A. Heinlein
FAX:            204-275-5128    |
===============================================================================

davidh@uhunix1.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (David A. Helweg) (06/21/91)

In article <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
>better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  
> 
Chimps would outperform dolphins *hands-down*, as they have opposable thumbs 
and generally greater manual dexterity, which would allow them to fill in the
bubble sheets much more neatly. ;-)

Seriously now, what animal gets around better, a horse or a dolphin?  Each
performs well subject to the constraints of the environment to which it is
adapted, in which it has evolved.  The scholastic test is biased towards the
ecological and social conditions of modern-day (white middle-class male)
humans.  To make such comparisons, if valid at all, the tests would have to
reflect each species' natural history.

dah & hlr & heh

bjr@aifh.ed.ac.uk (Brian J Ross) (06/21/91)

In article <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
>better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  

Dolphins know more about sharks than chimps.

-- 
Brian Ross.               	                        Diet Pepsi rules.
bjr@aipna.ed.ac.uk

6600spam@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Tom Maynard) (06/23/91)

In article <1991Jun21.094620@aifh.ed.ac.uk> bjr@aifh.ed.ac.uk (Brian J Ross) writes:

>In article <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>>can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
>>better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  

>Dolphins know more about sharks than chimps.

Chimps can hold pencils much more effectively.  Also, scantron forms
work very poorly underwater.

Chimps:1      Dolphins:1


Anyone for a tie-breaker?



--Tom Maynard   6600spam@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu
  Undergrad Bio-Geek at Large...

kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) (06/23/91)

In article <12184@hub.ucsb.edu> 6600spam@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Tom Maynard) writes:
>In article <1991Jun21.094620@aifh.ed.ac.uk> bjr@aifh.ed.ac.uk (Brian J Ross) writes:
>>In article <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>>>can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
>>>better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  
>
>>Dolphins know more about sharks than chimps.
>Chimps can hold pencils much more effectively.  Also, scantron forms
>work very poorly underwater.
>Chimps:1      Dolphins:1
>Anyone for a tie-breaker?
>--Tom Maynard   6600spam@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu
>  Undergrad Bio-Geek at Large...

ok, forget the test.  who would do better in a phd program?  

linden@dutecal.et.tudelft.nl (;Hans van der Linden) (06/23/91)

In article <1991Jun23.014533.22228@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>In article <12184@hub.ucsb.edu> 6600spam@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Tom Maynard) writes:
>>In article <1991Jun21.094620@aifh.ed.ac.uk> bjr@aifh.ed.ac.uk (Brian J Ross) writes:
>>>In article <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>>>>can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
>>>>better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  
>>
>>>Dolphins know more about sharks than chimps.
>>Chimps can hold pencils much more effectively.  Also, scantron forms
>>work very poorly underwater.
>>Chimps:1      Dolphins:1
>>Anyone for a tie-breaker?
>>--Tom Maynard   6600spam@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu
>>  Undergrad Bio-Geek at Large...
>
>ok, forget the test.  who would do better in a phd program?  

For that matter, who would conduct one better?

kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) (06/24/91)

In article <1991Jun23.133553.29294@donau.et.tudelft.nl> linden@dutecal.et.tudelft.nl (;Hans van der Linden) writes:
>In article <1991Jun23.014533.22228@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>>>Chimps:1      Dolphins:1
>>>Anyone for a tie-breaker?
>>>--Tom Maynard   6600spam@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu
>>
>>ok, forget the test.  who would do better in a phd program?  
>
>For that matter, who would conduct one better?

well, my advisor is a chimp... but don't know too much
  about dolphins...