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Credit: The Comparative Cognition for Conservation Lab, Dept of Psychology at Hunter College
https://www.rtoz.org/2023/09/29/wild-asian-elephants-display-unique-puzzle-solving-skills/
flemkin
ElbowDeepInUserSub
Every time I see this, I am irrationally mad that neither of my favorite "what's in the box" scenes became the favorite to use. Of course, I speak of UHF, and Videodrome.
ClownishAntics
Damn girl what that trunk do?
Polymathena
Ugh, could we move on from the disrespectful 'puzzle testing' phase of dealing with animals. How about we just try to learn their language-- a positive use for AI
DanielAsparagus
There it is.
ElbowDeepInUserSub
No animals, despite extensive actual testing on the subject, seem to have the human capacity for 'language'. While they do have sets of sounds that are used to communicate, they do not appear (even apes) to be capable of putting concepts together in a coherent string. If we want to know just how smart they are, we're not going to get there by talking.
Polymathena
That's the point
ElbowDeepInUserSub
You say "learn their language", and I point out they do not actually have "language" in the human sense. But you say that is the point you were making? Animals have independent concepts which they express. Food, danger, etc. Even the great apes have never shown any ability to communicate more complex concepts than that, despite extensive testing of such.
Polymathena
Elephants aren't apes. But perhaps "means of communication" would have been better.
ElbowDeepInUserSub
There has been extensive work with dolphins, as well. But what I am saying is, no matter how hard we try to engage in higher communication, animal expression is limited to singular, encapsulated concepts. So even when we learn their vocalizations it is of little more use than perhaps being able to tell them that it's dinner time.