larrabee@decwrl.dec.com (Tracy Larrabee) (03/03/88)
In article <495@picuxa.UUCP> gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) writes: >Is this for real? Can it be that parrots can not only speak like humans >but ALSO _UNDERSTAND_ WHAT THEY ARE SAYING!!! Maybe we can send a parrot >to the moon, not as a test animal, but as an astronaut! Hell, maybe he can >run for President!! Would you like to send Koko the Gorilla to the moon? How about the African Gray at Purdue who has a 100 word vocabulary--that is, he says and understands at least 100 different words. He can communicate using the concepts of the names of 4 different colors, the first 5 integers, and negation. He can ask that things be done to him or for him or that they not be done. His researchers were espescially surprised when he "learned" the concept of negation by himself. Prior to that they had believed that they could not teach him negation because it was thought to be too sophisticated a lingustic concept. The bird has been on TV and written up in magazines and newspapers. He has also plucked all the feathers off his body that he can reach. As an addendum, perhaps you don't think that linguistic ability alone signifies intelligence. John Lilly and company seem to believe that if they could prove that dolphins could communicate using language they would have proven that dolphins are sapient beings. Yes, intelligence is a multi-faceted thing, but parrots, gorillas, and dolphins are demonstrably more advanced with respect to this multi-faceted thing than the other animals that most of us have dealings with. Not to mention their laudable lack of sarcastic comments.
gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) (03/04/88)
In article larrabee@decwrl.dec.com (Tracy Larrabee) writes: > In article <495@picuxa.UUCP> gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) writes: > > Would you like to send Koko the Gorilla to the moon? Come on, Koko (and other primates) have a proven intelligence, that goes far beyond mimicing sounds. They not only "speak", but are capable of other intelligent activities. > How about the > African Gray at Purdue who has a 100 word vocabulary--that is, he says and > understands at least 100 different words. He can communicate using the > concepts of the names of 4 different colors, the first 5 integers, and > negation. He can ask that things be done to him or for him or that they > not be done. His researchers were espescially surprised when he "learned" > the concept of negation by himself. Prior to that they had believed that > they could not teach him negation because it was thought to be too > sophisticated a lingustic concept. > > The bird has been on TV and written up in magazines and newspapers. Any animal can be taught a conditioned response. Does that mean that piano playing chickens are musicians? > > He has also plucked all the feathers off his body that he can reach. > What can this possibly mean? Maybe the bird is trying to set a trend (like the punks in Britain (I think)). Maybe this is a reaction to some great social injustice to parrotdom. > > As an addendum, perhaps you don't think that linguistic ability alone > signifies intelligence. You're correct, I don't. Many species are good mimics. > John Lilly and company seem to believe that if > they could prove that dolphins could communicate using language they would > have proven that dolphins are sapient beings. No Comment. > Yes, intelligence is a > multi-faceted thing, but parrots, gorillas, and dolphins are demonstrably > more advanced with respect to this multi-faceted thing than the other > animals that most of us have dealings with. No question about that! The point was not that parrots are on the same par as termites, the point was that parrots are NOT on a par with humans. > > Not to mention their laudable lack of sarcastic comments. Maybe sarcastic comments are a sign of intelligence. Let's take this stupid discussion to rec.stupid.discussions. I am simply a birder that wants to enjoy this newsgroup. Greg Pasquariello ihnp4!picuxa!gp