What is the smartest animal not human

by **Inuyasha** on Tue Jan 04, 2005 1:00 pm

What is the smartest animal not human? Explain

by **biostudent84** on Wed Jan 05, 2005 1:14 am

I placed my vote as bacteria to make a point. No animal can be considered "smarter" than others. Comparing smartness is impossible because intelligence is used to survive in the ecological niche. As each organism fills its respective niche perfectly, it can be said that any organism is not perfectly smart.

by **Cyranian** on Wed Jan 05, 2005 5:19 am

Just by comparing intelligence levels with humans, I cast my vote for dolphins. These sea mammals have a cerebral cortex which is about 40% larger a human being's, which is built about the same way. The parietal lobe of dolphins is also considerably bigger than the human parietal and frontal lobes combined. The neural sensory regions (emotional control, objectivity, reality orientation, humor, logically consistent abstract thought and higher creativity) of dolphins are also more greatly developed. They're able to cope better in captivity than humans do.

by **Inuyasha** on Wed Jan 05, 2005 5:45 pm

isn't intelligence measureable?

by **biostudent84** on Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:22 am

Inuyasha wrote:isn't intelligence measureable?

On a purely objective level? No, it is not possible to measure it. Any standard for intelligence created by human will be based on human intelligence.

How do you define intelligence? Is it the capacity to learn? Is it the ability for one to interpret sensory impulses to understand an organism's surroundings? Or is it the ability to perform Quantum Physics?

Intelligence within one species can be measured...but the different variants of "intelligence" make interspecific intelligence metering impossible.

by **Inuyasha** on Fri Jan 07, 2005 5:47 pm

I guess that makes sense. But still i think there should be some way. Some puzlle maybe.

by **biostudent84** on Mon Jan 10, 2005 4:54 am

Unfortunately, any puzzle would inevitebly be subject to subjectivity in science. Any puzzle will compare an organism's intelligence to a human's. So any organism with an intelligence-type similar to a human would appear to be most intelligent.

A bacteria would need a very different type of intelligence than an ape. Apes don't care about breaking down sulfur, and bacterias don't care about using tree-twigs as tools.

by **bioguy** on Sat Jan 22, 2005 7:05 am

im new here so if i get something wrong, correct me.
i thinck intellegence should be "measured" by the ability to think and learn. also, why didnt you place apes on theat list?

by **Inuyasha** on Sat Jan 22, 2005 10:07 pm

Really learning is good but adapting is better. Intelligence can be defined so many ways however the way i'm interested in is overall. Viruses probaly have the best adapting features however man can make tools, its so hard to choose one catergory of intelligence. So i will ask for the general

by **JayJay** on Tue Jan 25, 2005 3:36 am

Wouldn't it be possible for us to measure intelligence by niche, then? Not just measuring the whole kingdom Animalia, but comparing the intelligence of species in a Family or Genus?[/i]

by **Inuyasha** on Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:00 pm

That would be a good idea. Measuring intelligence by Genuses would be reasonable and feasible for everything bigger than an inch, but how would you measure things like bacteria? You have to set up a standard. And that standard would have to be applied for every organizm.

by **robotics** on Sun Feb 27, 2005 10:57 pm

God there are just so many possible answers it would be wrong to just pick one!

One of my favorites is the pronged horned antelope. It has THE highest mitochondrial density in its metabolically active cells, far higher than a human like Lance Armstrong :shock:

Yes, a cheetah can run 65 MPH, but name an animal that can sustain 55 MPH for a good half hour if it wanted to...