Thread

1. georgemcbay · 1789884732 · focus · HN ↗

   Blows my mind that so many people just have this hardened internalized idea that we're somehow significantly different than any other animal.

   Sure, we've got them beat on language and planning, but we're currently in the process of being passed up on both those fronts by multi-dimensional arrays of floating point numbers sitting inside of sand. So, like, how special is that then, really?

   1. vor_ · 1789894858 · focus · HN ↗

      > Blows my mind that so many people just have this hardened internalized idea that we're somehow significantly different than any other animal.

      But we are significantly different, and there's always a danger of anthropomorphizing other species to explain behavior that we assume we understand because it reminds us of how we feel about things. That's why the paper calls for more study of "post-mortem attentive responses" in animal behavior to gain more insight into their cognitive capabilities.

      1. alpineman · 1789894973 · focus · HN ↗

         So by your logic we should not treat humans with impaired cognitive abilities as equals?

         1. bell-cot · 1789905909 · focus · HN ↗

            In what context? If I need my appendix out, I'd really prefer a surgeon who got passing grades in med school.

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