Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Potoooooooo · 09-07-2007, 04:55 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20070907...nsoutsmartapes
We can rest easy now!

Bushman · 09-07-2007, 05:17 AM

Praise Jebus!!!

Jet Black · 09-07-2007, 06:03 AM

interesting, but I wonder what the plasticity of the chimp's learning strategies are when they are of an "equivalent" age to a 2 1/2 year old, since chimps themselves clearly are capable of learning.

NZSkep · 09-07-2007, 06:38 AM

interestingly enough I found a study that seems to give contrary results

Quote:

THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- For those needing evidence that apes are branier than the average toddler, there's a new study showing that apes are better at "social learning," compared to toddlers.

When presented with a tall tree containing bananas at the top, apes followed an experimenter's example to retrieve the prize by climbing the tree, while the toddlers put all their energy towards simply crying, asking for "MAMA" and defecating in their nappies.

Ray Moscow · 09-07-2007, 06:52 AM

Wolpert in his Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast cites a study showing that human babies/children are much better than apes in using tools all along.

Apes are of course much better at some other things, much earlier, than human babies.

Craig · 09-07-2007, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Moscow

Wolpert in his Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast cites a study showing that human babies/children are much better than apes in using tools all along.

Apes are of course much better at some other things, much earlier, than human babies.

Yeah that makes sense- stick a 3 year old and an adult ape in the woods and come back in a month and see who is "smarter." That said, I have a 2.5 year old and some of the stuff that he understands does seem really amazing at times.

Studies like this are interesting, but it's hard to say what it means to be smart.

Potoooooooo · 09-07-2007, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZSkep

interestingly enough I found a study that seems to give contrary results

Quote:

THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- For those needing evidence that apes are branier than the average toddler, there's a new study showing that apes are better at "social learning," compared to toddlers.

When presented with a tall tree containing bananas at the top, apes followed an experimenter's example to retrieve the prize by climbing the tree, while the toddlers put all their energy towards simply crying, asking for "MAMA" and defecating in their nappies.

That is not a real quote is it

Worldtraveller · 09-07-2007, 08:32 AM

I thinkthe point is that the study just might have a little bit of an underlying bias....

..maybe....

Tartantyco · 09-07-2007, 09:07 AM

-I just saw this clip(In the movie "A Few Days of September," not a good movie) of a monkey up in the trees jumping down and pulling the ear of tigers, then scooting up again, and repeating the process over and over again, much to the dismay of the three(Might have been two) tigers that looked extremely pissed. Monkeys may not be as smart as humans either but they sure have balls, and then some.

Boro Nut · 09-07-2007, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZSkep

interestingly enough I found a study that seems to give contrary results.

Yeah, but that one was conducted by chimps.

Boro Nut

09-07-2007, 04:55 AM	#1
Potoooooooo Contributor Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 13,541	Toddler Study Proves Humans Outsmart Apes http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20070907...nsoutsmartapes We can rest easy now!

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09-07-2007, 05:17 AM	#2
Bushman Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Beliefs:Strong Atheist/Naturalist Posts: 445	Praise Jebus!!!

09-07-2007, 06:03 AM	#3
Jet Black Contributor Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: (GSV) Lasting Damage Posts: 10,734	interesting, but I wonder what the plasticity of the chimp's learning strategies are when they are of an "equivalent" age to a 2 1/2 year old, since chimps themselves clearly are capable of learning.

09-07-2007, 06:52 AM	#5
Ray Moscow Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Surrey, England Posts: 1,255	Wolpert in his Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast cites a study showing that human babies/children are much better than apes in using tools all along. Apes are of course much better at some other things, much earlier, than human babies.

09-07-2007, 08:32 AM	#8
Worldtraveller Banned Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 7,834	I thinkthe point is that the study just might have a little bit of an underlying bias.... ..maybe....

09-07-2007, 09:07 AM	#9
Tartantyco Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Norway Posts: 541	-I just saw this clip(In the movie "A Few Days of September," not a good movie) of a monkey up in the trees jumping down and pulling the ear of tigers, then scooting up again, and repeating the process over and over again, much to the dismay of the three(Might have been two) tigers that looked extremely pissed. Monkeys may not be as smart as humans either but they sure have balls, and then some.

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