Of all the species on the planet. why is primate the only one that has intelligence?

[Jersovic]

I'm referring to humans.

I don't understand how if birds, reptiles, insects and other mammals have been here way longer than primates, why primates are the only species to develop an intelligent race? Like why isn't there a bird, beetle or turtle with human-like intelligence? My only guess is that because primates don't have claws or anything cool that they had to develop raw brain power to survive? I heard of monkeys using clubs and sticks as weapons so maybe that has something to do with it?

[smelltheglove]

it is speculated that dolphins and whale are quite intelligent, certain species not far below our own. of course douglas adams says that dolphins are smarter, with the most intelligent in fact being white mice

[Beavis]

Random chance.

[Stir]

I'm referring to humans.

I don't understand how if birds, reptiles, insects and other mammals have been here way longer than primates, why primates are the only species to develop an intelligent race? Like why isn't there a bird, beetle or turtle with human-like intelligence? My only guess is that because primates don't have claws or anything cool that they had to develop raw brain power to survive? I heard of monkeys using clubs and sticks as weapons so maybe that has something to do with it?

I present the Corvus family, which includes the second-most intelligent species on this planet: The European Magpie.

But the answer why human intelligence is so dominant can only be answered with: Because we brutally murdered any competition along the way. We weren't brilliant before, but we were really good at killing things. With nobody to argue, and hunting to take less and less time, we grew bored. With boredom came innovation as well as culture.
We're intelligent because we (or at least: our ancestors) were the best at punching things to death.

[Decagon]

There are various theories, for example, some people believe that humans evolved from primates because primates needed to go over further distances because the food supply was decreasing, and a bipedal animal would be more efficient and primates were already halfway there and humans evolved from there. That and thumbs.

[Deleted]

Here a video of an animal doing something most women can't even figure out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocWF6d0nelY

[Deleted]

Dolphins, Whales, Elephants, Crows and other animals would like to say hi. All of these have shown self awareness. And the first three show mourning and a high degree of intellect. When an elephant passes the corpse of another, it goes dead silent and shows a certain degree of sadness. If there's a whole herd of elephants (think herd is the right word?) passes anothers bones, they all touch them and remain next to them for hours on end. These animals are all increadibly intelligent.
What could possibly set us apart from them is that we started using tools, thanks to us being bipedal and freeing up our hands for manipulation of tools and such. Saying this many other animals have developed tools to aid them in gathering food and stuff. I've also heard something about us cooking our food that changed us and made us more intelligent, but i don't really know much about that so yea.

[Kalyyn]

Wolves are actually extremely intelligent. I mean, lots of species are, but I hadn't seen wolves mentioned yet.

[Deleted]

I'm referring to humans.

I don't understand how if birds, reptiles, insects and other mammals have been here way longer than primates, why primates are the only species to develop an intelligent race? Like why isn't there a bird, beetle or turtle with human-like intelligence? My only guess is that because primates don't have claws or anything cool that they had to develop raw brain power to survive? I heard of monkeys using clubs and sticks as weapons so maybe that has something to do with it?

define "intelligence".

Jokes aside, as pointed previously, primates are not the only vessels of intelligence around here. There's also the issue of "collective" intelligence, ants being a prime exemple of it.

I have a couple of issues with primate intelligence :
-first: intelligence need a minimal amount of space. Brain-power is (losely) related to brain-size. No matter what evolution does, a flea will "never" be able to do much higher thinking, much metaphysical pondering with it's few miligrams of "brain cells". Size issue aside, there is also the "quality". I belive primates are the only species that have a cerebral cortex, which play a vital role in attention, memory and conciousness. Bottom line: No cortex ? Very limited chance of higher intelligence.

-second: from the (very) few exemples of intelligence we have to play around with, one can decently argument that it develops as to balance out glaring physical weakness.
Take ants: they are basically free snacks if taken alone. Octopus, dolphins, heck humans have virtually no fangs, venom, claws or anything to really attack with. Nothing for defense either.
Bottom of teh arguement goes like this : a Lion can live just fine using it's fur, powerful limbs, claws and fangs. Weak fang and claw-less human ? has to use it's brain to survive. Eventually brain become "stronger" -> more intelligent.

[Catta]

opposable thumbs i think.

That and the fact that intelligent species living in the same niches are gonna outcompete one leaving only the other. Our niche would be over the whole bloody globe.
So i suppose intelligent life could emerge under the oceans but would require a niche where intelligence would be preferable over strength, agility, camouflage and with parenting over an extended period and of course the transfer of knowledge from one to another - and written knowledge as well...

[Heathy]

tbh this is very argumentative, because one thing most animals don't do, is deliberately strip themselves of food, ppl have mentioned elephants and others, elephants know how to farm their own land, they will tear down trees, so acacias can grow.

other primates and birds, learn each others warning signals, so they can escape predators, intestingly enough they can differentiate between ground and sky predator signals, and react accordingly.

it is a good question though, and probably one, noone knows the answer to, we still don't even really know how we started or if we are originally even from this planet.. the debate and or search for evidence is on going.

[caninepawprints]

It really depends. How do you define intelligence? Do you recognize there are different forms of intelligence?

Personally, I don't believe humans are the most intelligent. Just look at who we put in positions of power.

[Deleted]

That simply isn't true, may I direct you towards crows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ-i92ov5O8

[Collegeguy]

There is research on this. The popular reason with lots of proof to back it up is turbulent climate change in what is now the Sahara Desert and once a lush rain forest.

The habitat was changing so often that primates had no other choice but to constantly adapt to different climates and conditions where most other species on Earth failed. Basically, we are adapted to the idea of adaptability.

[Ombree]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_and_Eve

[Sealed Shut]

I suppose the answer "because that's how we were created" would fall on deaf ears....

[Deleted]

I suppose the answer "because that's how we were created" would fall on deaf ears....

So many sarcastic comments I would like to make, but I can't.

Bloody forum rules

[Sealed Shut]

So many sarcastic comments I would like to make, but I can't.

Bloody forum rules

way to NOT get the thread shut down.. kudos

[smelltheglove]

I suppose the answer "because that's how we were created" would fall on deaf ears....

i support your right to believe that, but i do not agree

[Gothicshark]

First assumption is that we are the only intelligence on the planet. We are not, we are the only tool using highly intelligent species, But we are not the only intelligence.
Second assumption is that there was only one type of human, there where several types of humans all intelligent all tool using, and all of them are gone besides us.
Third assumption that people want to hear a belief when talking about science.

Other intelligent animals

Dolphin
Elephant
Crow
Pig
Chimpanzee
Orangutan
Squirrel
Pigeon
Octopus
Rat
Whales

Other Hominids
H. heidelbergensis
H. cepranensis
H. antecessor
H. sapiens neanderthalensis
H. sapiens