Cephalopods

[scourge]

Some species live only a year or so; others, like the giant Pacific Octopus may live four years. They are, however, much more serious about courtship rituals than previously thought.

There's a reason that octopuses are known as escape artists; they are extremely intelligent, able to solve problems, and have demonstrated short and long term memory, and an interest in play. Scientists have, for years, tested and studied the abilities of octopuses to successfully navigate mazes, learn visual and vocal cues, and remember solutions to previous problems, and even employ them to solve new, more complicated problems.

http://animalreport.com/2009/03/01/octopus

What we're seeing is another species on the same evolutionary journey that parallels our own. Maybe they will replace us and rule the local group of 30 star systems in our stead, a geological age hence. Evolution, not equality and safety nets, not accessibility for the handicapped, is the foundation of progress.

[JewishPhysics]

Evolution, not equality and safety nets, not accessibility for the handicapped, is the foundation of progress.

But if we take hold of the reigns of genetic selection, we can forge our own path.  Evolution, as in natural selection, works blindly and inefficiently.  Either way, a legion of genius octopuses can mean nothing but good things.

[Wolfgang]

The sea has been colonized for much longer and yet hasn't produced a sentient species. It's a nice basis for science fiction though I am sure.

[scourge]

Verily then, sentience is not a prerequisite to grasping the meaning of sentience.

[hoodwink]

The sea has been colonized for much longer and yet hasn't produced a sentient species.

Semantics aside, is there any actual proof of this?

[devolved]

What about cetaceans? They came from land but evolved drastically once in the sea, and are pretty smart.

[Spectrum]

The sea has been colonized for much longer and yet hasn't produced a sentient species.

Semantics aside, is there any actual proof of this?

Depends on what you see as sentient; personally, I don't see humans as a sapient species at all.  We're pretty clueless and yet we act as though we aren't.  We seem to score pretty low on the "awareness" factor.  Anyhow, I suppose what Wolfgang is speaking of is that the sea hasn't produced sentience to that of homosapiens' caliber.  I don't understand how that demands proof.....I understand that many beings possess intelligence, but that doesn't mean we aren't the most "aware".  That's what Wolfgang is probably referring to.

What about cetaceans? They came from land but evolved drastically once in the sea, and are pretty smart.

Yeah, cetaceans are definitely cool.  Cephalopods (as of now) seem to be a favorite though.

[Dead_Soul]

This thread reminds me of Grigory from Gravity's Rainbow.

Given the octopus's highly inefficient circulatory system(they have three hearts), it is unlikely that they will ever have any sort of dominance in the biosphere. Cuttlefish on the other hand... 

[Dead_Soul]

Cetaceans are the closest to "intelligent life" by our standards(the only standard that exists), and have analogues to culture.

Nothing else in this thread is worth replying to though, yikes.

Pachyderms are just as intelligent as cetaceans. They mourn their dead, use tools, and behave culturally.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_intelligence

[Cargést]

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

I am impressed by this.

[scourge]

Intelligence and awareness are gradients, not a binary black and white, on or off, as the subjects of Dunning and Kruger's study, who are all anthropocentricists, would have us all believe.

[hoodwink]

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

I am impressed by this.

An elephant painting figuratively with color.  You'd have to be lifeless and dead not to be moved by that.

Thanks for posting.

[Spectrum]

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

I am impressed by this.

An elephant painting figuratively with color.  You'd have to be lifeless and dead not to be moved by that.

Thanks for posting.

Astonishing.  I loved how at the end the elephant went back and completed the segment where the trunk meets/wraps the flower.

[Veritas]

The Elephant, having understood the doctrine of the forms as it relates to aesthetic properties, represented through intricately prepared brush movements, in a style not dissimilar to th... or perhaps this is just a case of "an elephant never forgets"?

Dolphins are smart, but what the hell can you do with flippers? Those tentacles have much greater potential.

( Cthulhu Fhtagn )

[Humanicide]

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

I am impressed by this.

Wow, that's really neat.

Actually that elephant is probably more skilled at painting than I am.