5 ms·

To portray imagined objects to other dolphins, are they suggesting that the dolphin can imitate the 'sound echo' directly from their vocal clicks? Therefore th

by mise 15y ago

To portray imagined objects to other dolphins, are they suggesting that the dolphin can imitate the 'sound echo' directly from their vocal clicks? Therefore their clicks would have two functions: to make echos reflect from objects around them, and to imitate those echos later on?

PerryCox 15y ago
That was my understanding of it, but I could be completely wrong.
- bmuon 15y ago
  +1 but the article isn't very clear about it
bane 15y ago
In the Uplift universe (David Brin), dolphins are regularly able to build sonic pictures for other dolphins as a way to communicate, or even as a strategy when fighting each other. Not sure if those ideas came from then current research into dolphins, or if Brin took some artistic liberties and came up with them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uplift_Universe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uplift_Universe
jarin 15y ago
If it's true, then it's essentially image-based telepathic communication.
mirkules 15y ago
That's interesting. From what I understood of the article, to portray an existing object, they emit a constant sound, and the shape of the object modifies the sound which makes a unique sound (which is then transformed into an image by the receiving dolphin). Therefore, to imagine an object they have to: 1) have the ability to create unique shape-sounds with their vocal clicks and 2a) had to have either seen/heard the shape before, OR 2b) have the ability to imagine what an imaginary object would sound like. If research shows the way of conveying imaginary objects is 2a, that would mean dolphins are physically unable to convey abstract ideas (note: this wouldn't completely rule out abstraction, just the communication of it). If it's 2b, and they can communicate abstract concepts... that would be a monumentally profound discovery.

5 ms·

To portray imagined objects to other dolphins, are they suggesting that the dolphin can imitate the 'sound echo' directly from their vocal clicks? Therefore th

by mise 15y ago

PerryCox 15y ago
That was my understanding of it, but I could be completely wrong.
- bmuon 15y ago
  +1 but the article isn't very clear about it
bane 15y ago
In the Uplift universe (David Brin), dolphins are regularly able to build sonic pictures for other dolphins as a way to communicate, or even as a strategy when fighting each other. Not sure if those ideas came from then current research into dolphins, or if Brin took some artistic liberties and came up with them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uplift_Universe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uplift_Universe
jarin 15y ago
If it's true, then it's essentially image-based telepathic communication.
mirkules 15y ago
That's interesting. From what I understood of the article, to portray an existing object, they emit a constant sound, and the shape of the object modifies the sound which makes a unique sound (which is then transformed into an image by the receiving dolphin). Therefore, to imagine an object they have to: 1) have the ability to create unique shape-sounds with their vocal clicks and 2a) had to have either seen/heard the shape before, OR 2b) have the ability to imagine what an imaginary object would sound like. If research shows the way of conveying imaginary objects is 2a, that would mean dolphins are physically unable to convey abstract ideas (note: this wouldn't completely rule out abstraction, just the communication of it). If it's 2b, and they can communicate abstract concepts... that would be a monumentally profound discovery.