Seriously, what to you make of this?

bachus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk

Inventor · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:45 pm Post subject:

That was incredible, I had no idea they could paint so well. That elephant paints better than me! Astonishing. And we've been killing them for their tusks all these years - now who is smart and who is stupid?

jksuperstar · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:10 pm Post subject:

So monkey's AREN'T the only animal to use tools!

seraph · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:21 pm Post subject:

the first thought was: "it's an hoax" but it does not look like one

Wout Blommers · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 1:03 am Post subject:

If you take a good look you'll spot the zipper where the costume fits together...

Wink

Wout

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:22 am Post subject:

The big question is what else does it paint?
I mean, if I did that same painting twice a day for 3 years, and got less dinner when I branched out on a new subject, I reckon I'd be pretty good at it too. Laughing

But maybe I'm too cynical. Sad

v-un-v · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:35 am Post subject:

It's not that amazing really- although very amusing to watch (and the wry nod in the direction of a 'self-portrait' is highly entertaining!).

If you really want to think "wow, this is amazing", it will be (from a speculative and psychological point of view), but, elephants for centuries, have been trained to do certain tricks- especially in circus arenas. Don't forget that dogs can also be trained to do what initially seem like 'extraordinary things', for instance, being a blind person's 'eyes'. So too can a Minar bird for example, mimicking that of the human voice- however I'm sure that both this elephant and that of the dog and Minar bird don't really have a deep understanding of what exactly they are achieving?

Human beings are capable of so much more, as well as making conscious and logical decisions. We as human beings are capable of really amazing things.

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:54 am Post subject:

v-un-v · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:56 am Post subject:

Hear, hear!!!

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:39 am Post subject:

bachus · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:07 am Post subject:

v-un-v · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:30 am Post subject:

But that is a very romantic opinion isn't it? Dare I say it, it's exactly the kind of opinion I would expect you to have Bachus Wink

Aren't whales supposed to do similar things?

seraph · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:34 am Post subject:

v-un-v · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:35 am Post subject:

Underwater brain surgery?

seraph · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:37 am Post subject:

...or caressing the soaked up bones of family members

Wink

v-un-v · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:41 am Post subject:

So could you safely conclude that falling into a vat of piranha fish would be like nature's version of an underwater cremation service? Shocked

btw, bones don't burn. They are crushed instead Idea

seraph · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:49 am Post subject:

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:59 am Post subject:

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:05 am Post subject:

Antimon · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:38 am Post subject:

seraph · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:16 am Post subject:

bachus · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:46 am Post subject:

Obviously if you are not a romantic evidence is of no interest or use. But for those whose knowledge is not both universal and fixed these might be of interest:

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0608062103v1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/302feature1.shtml

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:22 am Post subject:

bachus · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:01 am Post subject:

bachus · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:11 am Post subject:

But seriously you're ahead of me on this, I did not know they had been shown to be self aware.