If we can't have "close encounters" with out fellow earth creatures, some quite intelligent, how will we ever relate to space aliens when and if we meet them? Everybody knows about successful attempts to teach sign language to our primate cousins, and unsuccessful attempts to communicate with dolphins. But what about large-brained cephalopods' intricate communications with one another through changing, glowing colors? We know that these creatures are smart and curious, and their DNA corresponds remarkably with ours. I think communicating with them would probably be easier than communicating with space aliens which, if they exist, evolved or were created entirely separately and have different DNA or analogous "life chemicals" than ours. It could prove useful to be able to communicate with our fellow earth creatures, and possibly a first step toward extraterrestial communication.
2007-04-10 08:25:40 · 7 answers · asked by John (Thurb) McVey 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I agree we should. I saw the Nature program about cephalopods over the weekend, and I was really amazed at how beautiful, intelligent and evolved they are. You could argue that they're more evolved than humans, as far as communication goes. It is like outer space down there, so I agree that would be an excellent place to research nonverbal communication. However, I don't have a lot of faith in humans' ability to interact with other species without exploiting and destroying them in whole or in part.
2007-04-10 08:43:01 · answer #1 · answered by SomeGirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure, whales & elephants are pretty smart, but have they developed technology? They do seem to possess some language, but any creature we might encounter either from space or going into space is likely to be more able to communicate in a manner we recognize - perhaps not speech, but in sentences and grammer *capable* of containing ideas for complex design & thought.
Not discounting the advantages of 'talking' to our fellow creatures, but at the same time, their evolutionary trail hasn't allowed them, or hasn't required them I should say, to develop the very concise way humans communicate.
2007-04-10 08:33:04 · answer #2 · answered by quantumclaustrophobe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People over estimate the intelligence of animals.
I heard of an experiment where the progress of baby chimpanzees human babies was monitored closely. They even made efforts to give the chimps similar care and education. The chimps progressed at about the same rate as the human babies until the humans started to talk. Then the humans left the chimps in the dust. Chimps just are not smart enough to understand language as complex as the one you and I are using now. They just are not smart enough.
2007-04-10 08:34:58 · answer #3 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure where you got the impression that humans are not already trying every way they can think of to communicate with other intelligent animals. That's just not true.
2007-04-10 08:48:33 · answer #4 · answered by Adam S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We've tried long enough to communicate with animals. I don't think our rudimentary connections with them are going to evolve. I think it is much more likely that we will develop artificial intelligence capable of communicating original thoughts. In other words, we'll be talking to our machines before we're talking to squids.
2007-04-10 08:46:14 · answer #5 · answered by Oxhead 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You CAN "communicate" with animals, however, you have to do it in a way they can understand. Other species do not have the ability to communicate on the level that we do.
Humans created this machines and systems that are allowing us to communicate in the way we are now. Lower animals cannot even begin to comprehend this.
2007-04-10 08:36:35 · answer #6 · answered by mgentryholt 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, more slaves!
2007-04-10 08:32:33 · answer #7 · answered by (+_+) B 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋