Monday, August 30, 2010

A gorilla smarter than me

Studies reveal that animals are cleverer than we thought. Many exhibit emotions similar to humans.
As soon as I entered office, I told S that humans and chimpanzees share 99% of our DNA.
I can’t agree with you more, he replied, and went on to say how royally an ape was sitting at Kolkata zoo. Legs crossed, the animal was puffing a cigarette, when children began to throw things at him. After tolerating for a while, the animal began to pick up the things and throw back at the children. When the kids made funny sounds, the ape imitated.
The interesting thing I read is about a gorilla named Kola in Congo. It learned to test the electric fence surrounding his forest reserve by holding a grass stem up to the wire. The stem will conduct a bit of current, enough to show Kola the fence is turned on, but not enough to give him a shock. Author Michael Hanlon argues that not all humans would be able to do this.
I support Australian philosopher Peter Singer who argues that if it is right to take a chimp’s life to save a human then it may also be right, under circumstances, to take a human’s life to save a chimp.
(This is the concluding part of yesterday’s post)

24 comments:

  1. Thoughtful post Ramesh. Quite unlike you if I may add :D :D :D Hey quite like you actually.

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  2. OMG!! Now we need to compete with Animals as well?:):)

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  3. Having read this in continuation makes a lot of sense.
    Great post

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  4. Makes good sense. loved reading both the posts together.

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  5. Of course they are smarter than us but again humans have BLOGS .Cheers buddy !

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  6. That was a very interesting post-
    quite unlike your earlier ones.
    Well, I don't mean to say your
    earlier ones were uninteresting.
    Just that this is different from
    your usual style yet equally interesting :)

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  7. Enjoying your posts. Good info.

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  8. Ramesh and 'Animal Rights'....does it sound right?

    Most likely Ramesh's wife loves animals and made Ramesh write these wonderful posts.

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  9. yeah they are smart and they can understand. on the last arguement of life, well i think there are people who say that when we hold one life form more worthy than the other, we are being specist(like racist). i am not for killing any animal, but i don't know if i am for killing of a human over another animal. i think it would depend on the the human rather than the animal. so guess i am being a specist)

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  10. interesting post
    like the last lines
    to take a human’s life to save a chimp.

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  11. Oh my monkey brother! Do I have to give my life for you? ;0)

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  12. well it takes a human's life to safe chimps? Jeez!I value my life then..:P

    well written..

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  13. Very nice and interesting post. What a coincidence! Visit my blog and then you will know it.
    http://urmi-z-unique.blogspot.com/

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  14. Well that certainly got us thinking, thanks for a well written post.

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  15. very thought provoking post. a serious one from you. and nice one.

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  16. he he aferall chimps and man have almost the same ancestors...great post

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  17. Sorry I was still editing when you commented, so you missed the last part in the post :)

    Informed sources however claim, Rakhi is an eyewash, on Mr.Fevicol's advice, Anu Malik has been hired to remix Waca Waca and it will be sung and performed by Bappi Lahiri (in Na'vi costume and an extra kilo of gold).

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  18. Ramesh I very much enjoyed this two-part post. People make the mistake of assuming anything or anyone that can't communicate with them verbally must be less intelligent. I think it's a sub-conscious judgment, education is key to change this. Relating to the crow you spoke of, I was watching this wonderful documentary called "Winged Migration" -- if you have not seen it, please make a point of it soon, you will not regret it -- in one scene the cameras had captured a bird reaching his head through a cage to unlatch the lock and free himself from poachers. It was amazing to watch.

    It's so good to read your writings again. I love your style and thoughtfulness. Much peace and big cheers to you, friend. XOXOXO

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  19. Hi..

    Visiting your blog for the first time..

    ..The information you share are chosen from the less lit parts of the world of knowledge ..

    Even we daily see animals, but fail to notice their mannerisms..

    I had heard that somewhere some actor or actresses learned acting by watching monkeys...

    Happy Blogging..

    Tomz..

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  20. i definitely agree with you a human life shud be equaivalent to save a chimp ... Humans are the worst animals
    I enjoyed reading this about animals ...

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