Why are human beings so much more intelligent than the Earth's other forms of life? Explanations?

Question

Though often overlooked, this is important. Without this knowledge, how could we effectively search for other intelligent life forms in the universe??

Answer 1

Evolutionary pressures put a huge premium on intelligence, so it developed quite rapidly. Ice ages and other natural catastrophes tended to do in those who could not think their way out of a jam.

Answer 2

Are we really? That's a slightly skewed viewpoint, sort of like the victors writing the history books. We consider ourselves the more intelligent species because we've managed to nearly wipe out or severely endanger the whales, dolphins. orangutans, great apes, elephants and chimpanzees. However,we are only slowly beginning to understand how deeply complex and intelligent they are.
We supercede these highly intelligent animals only because they are not as quick as humans are to adapt and change.

Perhaps we should wait to search for other intelligent life forms until we can understand the other intelligent forms here on earth. What arrogance to assume a non-Earth life form is more valued than a similar life form on Earth?!

Answer 3

Basically intelligence is a survival instinct,man had it before he could speak.
When man developed the ability to speak he also developed the ability to be objective.
This separated him from all the other animals
It also enabled him to think of the possibility of other objective entities in other parts of the universe.
They also wonder about us,the eyes and ears of the universe.

Answer 4

among all the other animals on the earth,God gave human beings something which other species do not posess.its "THUMB".though we overlook the fact that we have a thumb, which other species do not have, still this is the only reason why we have develo[ped into the INTELLIGENT BREED.
Thumb gave us the ability tio do things hich other species could not.
slowly man started building homes,tools(for survival),etc.
these abilities forced him to think of other ways to utilise his ability.Hence man's thinking abilities were sharpened.
this process was slow and steady.....the intelligence developed by our forefathers was passed on to the next generations via genes.
Hence today we are the most intelligent species on the earth.

Answer 5

"why" questions have a hidden assumption in them.

They imply a "purpose" as tho some external agent had an intention. Some people interpret "divine purpose" as this external agent. However, this assumption is not necessarily true.

Are humans actually more intelligent than dolphins? Humans have more technological prowess, but this is not necessarily "intelligence.

An NFL linebacker can play better football than Einstein, but is he more intelligent?

Answer 6

If many of the people who post questions and answers here are anything to go by, I think you would have a lot of difficulty substantiation your claim about "much more intelligent". I have seen more intelligent amoeba.

Answer 7

That is an assumption, not a fact.
A fish is more intelligent about swimming.
A bird is more intelligent about acrobatic flying...
You are right, it is important. How will we recognize the intelligence of extra-terrestrials?

Answer 8

What makes you think that we are? It's only because we get to make up the tests and grade them ourselves ☺

And the opposable thumb thing.... All other primates (as well as several members of the family 'mustelidae') do have opposable thumbs. (Ask anybody who has ever had a ferret for a pet ☺)


Doug

Answer 9

Because we are as edible as most other animals, and not as good at running away. Intelligence gives you an advantage over larger animals, and so was favoured for survival.
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Answer 10

all species have a wide range of intellligence programmed into them, none is greater than the other, the battle for survival over periods of time accelerates this arms race between species