Today's diary is only an excuse to post this beautiful video. If you don't care about encephalization quotients, just hit play and enjoy.
Dolphins are the 2nd smartest species on Earth (Douglas Adams' fans not withstanding).
They can recognize themselves in a mirror, the only non-primate species that can accomplish that feat. They form complex societies and can use tools, like this dolphin using a sponge to protect its snout while foraging.
Even more importantly, dolphins have a true culture. They can learn from each other and pass learned knowledge from generation to generation. We've observed this culture in action in captivity and, as in the sponge-using dolphins, in the wild.
How smart are they?
The encephalization quotient (EQ) compares a species' average brain weight to average body weight. It's a rough and ready estimate of how intelligent a species is.
When looking at EQs, several patterns are obvious. Carnivores have higher EQs than herbivores. That makes sense. It's harder to catch an herbivore than it is to catch grass.
For herbivores, the more protected the environment, the dumber the herbivore. Hippos clock in at .27. Elephants at .63. Apparently, being able to hold your breath is worth a couple of dozen IQ points.
For comparision, humans have an EQ of around 5.07. We're off the charts. Our brains are huge compared to our bodies. Of course, we pay a big price for that, like being born while we're essentially still fetuses so we can fit through the birth cannel.
Dolphins have an EQ of 3.60. #2 among all animals, ever. Their birth is a lot easier than ours. The smaller ratio helps, but so does being shaped like torpedoes instead of bowling balls.
Their brains aren't just big, they are complex. The cortex and neo-cortex (seats of higher reasoning) are a larger part of their total brain weight and they are intricately folded. Folding increases surface area, allows for denser neuron connection networks and, in humans, is associated with greater intelligence.
Scientists and philosophers have long debated whether dolphins are smart and social enough to be declared non-human persons.
Questions for the comments.
The idea of non-human persons raises many interesting questions. Here are just a few:
- What is a person? Might as well start there, since it is the biggie. As a good libertarian, I'd say a person is an entity possesing natural rights and whose rights demand respect. Of course, that just begs a whole bunch of other thorny questions for which I don't have neat answers.
- If we grant other species the status of personhood, where is the line? Are there degrees of personhood? Is my cute dolphin diary in danger of touching the Right to Life/Right to Choose debate?
- Is high intelligence alone enough to make a species eligable for personhood?
- Dolphins are smart, social, playfull and charismatic. That makes them an easy case. What if they were a bunch of big jerks? Would we still worry about them?
- The classical question from Strong AI. If a machine was sufficiently smart and self-aware, would it be murder to turn it off?
I can't answer these questions. Maybe you can.
Watch the video one more time, then hit the comments.