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> ...because we had (at least) 2 different exceptional qualities... On the topic of exceptional qualities, what is thought to be behind New Caledonian Crows an
by yareally 11y ago
> ...because we had (at least) 2 different exceptional qualities...
On the topic of exceptional qualities, what is thought to be behind New Caledonian Crows and their expert tool use & building is their eyes are more rotated to the front of their face than other crows. Thus, they can focus their vision in front of them easier than other crows of similar intelligence and makes it easier to manipulate and use objects.
I think there's been other crows that have used primitive tools in lab settings, but nowhere close to what New Caledonian ones do in the wild or in the lab.
- crpatino 11y agoWell, that makes the list go up to 3: Intelligent brain + stereoscopic vision + opposing thumbs. As you point out in your example, many intelligent species have been observed using rudimentary tools. The conventional explanation is that we must be so much more smart than them, since our tools are much more complex. My point is that maybe what they lack is not the raw intelligence to envision the use of tools, but the dexterity to apply that intelligence to the task of complex tool making.
- yareally 11y ago> My point is that maybe what they lack is not the raw intelligence to envision the use of tools, but the dexterity to apply that intelligence to the task of complex tool making. Sounds plausible to me. The more difficult question is how does one ever prove that it's true? I agree that it could be, just overcoming the difficulty in testing with species we barely understand/communicate with hasn't caught up yet to our curiosity.