Anyone else ever had the thought we aren't the smartest beings on earth?

[Fascinate]

Intelligence is completely subjective as we all know. Extrapolate that to the extreme, are we smarter than animals because we can build skyscrapers or map our DNA? Or is it possible animals are smarter because they know burdening yourself with such things is an exercise in futility.

I have always heard people say we are at the top of the food chain because we are the only species that posses the ability to express empathy, but maybe its the complete opposite.

I just get really sick of people patting themselves on the back lol. We arent that smart, sure we have accomplished some things but we also have debilitating flaws that no other species in the animal kingdom has.

[Deleted]

If there was something smarter we wouldn't be on the top of the food chain.

[Fascinate]

If there was something smarter we wouldn't be on the top.

That only assumes we are at the top...

[Forgettable]

Intelligence is completely subjective as we all know.

It's not actually. Quite measurable in fact.

[Fascinate]

It's not actually. Quite measurable in fact.

COmpletely disagree with that statement. There are many different types of intelligence.

[Revi]

We arent that smart.

Compared to what, exactly?

As far as we know, we're the smartest things in the universe.

[Fascinate]

Compared to what, exactly?

As far as we know, we're the smartest things in the universe.

God is in the universe.

[GennGreymane]

I feel like this thread should be locked.

[Revi]

God is in the universe.

How the hell do you believe in god and believe there's animals smarter than humans? Did you miss the chapters in your book about how special we are?

[Fascinate]

I don't think people are getting my gist here. By our definition of intelligence sure we are at the top. But if you REALLY think about it and apply occams razor you can start to understand where i am going here.

[Ornerybear]

I feel like this thread should be locked.

this caused me to loose it...

This thread just went full potato...LOCK IT DOWN...


OT: for all we know we are the most intelligent, human intelligence is measurable, and we have no way of measuring animal intelligence besides trials based on our own understanding of intelligence, so from an human perspective we are the most intelligent.

[Fascinate]

How the hell do you believe in god and believe there's animals smarter than humans? Did you miss the chapters in your book about how special we are?

Because i have a functioning brain. I know what the bible says, but i am also able to express free will.

[Revi]

Because i have a functioning brain. I know what the bible says, but i am also able to express free will.

If you really think about it, squid have more functioning brains than you, and they don't believe in god. Apply occams razor and you'll see where I'm going with this.

[Deleted]

That only assumes we are at the top...

If we we were not atop of the food chain and had to look over our shoulders all the time there would be zero chance of us getting where we are now. We wouldn't have a average lifespan of 80+ and we certainly wouldn't live in the comfort we live in now. The world is our playground, the heck in the future meaby even space. The question is how long can we maintain this position, any number of unknown factors could realize our demise.

Why do we show empathy? Because we can, the moment it starts to seriously endanger ourselves we will stop empathizing, at least we would not do it as much as we do now.
Animals don't show empathy even if they live like a king/queen ( don't want any hate for being gender specific.) Because they act out of instinct, we stopped doing that a long time ago, but if needed and all hell breaks lose we might fall back into some basic instincts.

All I just wrote is completely based on my own opinion and can be completely wrong, I was just bored so I wrote down what I think is true.

EDIT:

Never mind OP believes in God which I respect, but I cant stand the mix of anything closely science relate/facts to religion.

[Shadowferal]

Humanity wants the same basic things as most every other animal; food, warmth, security.

It's been that way ever since we left the ocean.

If dolphins and other cetaceans are any clue, we probably should never have left.

[Wikiy]

That only assumes we are at the top...

And how exactly are we not?

[Fascinate]

If i really have to spell it out, here goes. Yes humans have bigger brains and are able to create tools and do all the amazing things that we value. But animals dont have to deal with the things we do. They never have to deal with mental illnesses (ive seen rare cases), they dont have to work at jobs they dont enjoy, they dont play mind games with their partners, their minds dont get cluttered with information they just KNOW how to live life.

THAT is what i am talking about. This thread is more about what is intelligence.

[ParanoiD84]

Computers is already smarter then us so there is that also pretty sure there is some animal species that are close in some areas.
.

[Fascinate]

I truly believe its possible running on pure instinct is a higher form of "intelligence" than what humans run on. KISS (keep it simply stupid) applies here.

[Aaeru]

You're asking if we're the most intelligent species on the planet... in the MMO-C forums?

LOL.

Pretty sure my cat is more intelligent than some people here.

Other than that - who knows?

The only thing we know for sure is that our definition for intelligence comes from the very thing we're applying it to - our brain.

I know some people who think the Gaia hypothesis means/states/proves that the earth and it's biosystem itself is a sentient being, and as such probably beyond our scope of intelligence to comprehend.