• treadful@lemmy.zip
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    2 days ago

    I have no idea if they’re curious about the world around them. But that’s also not the question at hand.

    • theneverfox@pawb.social
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      2 days ago

      It is the question at hand. It’s a question about the mental process of animals

      The question isn’t are they curious - we know they are. The question is why they don’t ask humans questions when you teach them how to speak

      The answer is - it’s because you’re not speaking gorilla, the gorilla is learning a foreign language, which it learned by being motivated by food.

      Animal languages have a different grammar to human languages. When they ask questions, they often do it by making statements to be agreed with or corrected. They might even disagree, and assert the statement again in reply

      You have to meet animals halfway… Well, really like 10% of the way since they’re the ones learning to speak to us in our languages

      • Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 days ago

        These people aruginf against the intelligence of animals would fit right in with people who encounter savages on their voyages.

        That label was based on cultural differences and these fools are too ignorant to see they are making the same mistake across the difference in species.

        It’s quite fascinating. Maybe if we give them treats they can be trained to recognize their superiority only exists in their mushy little brains.

        • theneverfox@pawb.social
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          1 day ago

          Lol right? It’s crazy how far on a limb they go, despite interacting with dogs

          How often do we talk about how dogs want this or that, how they’re thinking of doing something “bad”, how they look so guilty they tell on themselves

          But yeah, nothing going on up there. It’s all projection, they’re just dumb animals and humans are super extra special