What if there is a MORE INTELLIGENT creature on Earth?

Question: What if there is a MORE INTELLIGENT creature on Earth!?

And it is not a Primate!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

The problem with this question, see, lies with the word "intelligence"!.

We humans use and abuse the crap out of that word, making it mean lots of things that it shouldn't: we try to use words like "intelligence" or "IQ" to describe emotional maturity, social skills, functional physical skill, learned virtuosity of a craft, and so on!. It leads to confusion, especially when we try to apply "intelligence" as meme to non-human animals, because then we have to ask, "Ok, what are we looking for again!?"

So I have to ask: What are you looking for again!? It is fairly self-evident, courtesy of our extended use of *alternating current electricity* and electronic technologies, and also computational/ networking technologies (here on this internet, on Yahoo Answers), that *nobody else* uses tools on the same level we humans do!. Nobody!. Nobody local and surely no one non-primate!.

Now I will grant you, there are *plenty of* species on this planet that are more sociable than we are, all the way down to insects!. The thing is though!.!.!.!.much of that isn't cerebral, it's genetic!. With ants and bees, you have a degree of inbreeding that has produced genetic haplo-diploidism, wherein the individuals have a *genome and a half* literally, and are more closely related to fellow siblings than they are to their own parents!. Meaning a lot of the behavior of eusocial animals--ants and naked mole rats alike--can be explained by way of this genetic distortion of relatedness, and its attendant distortion of social instinct!. In short: It becomes pro-survival to be eusocial when your DNA is so much like your sibling's that you can *sacrifice* yourself and still attain more than partial reproductive success by your surviving proxy!.

That's genetics though, that's relatedness, severely distorted!. That isn't intelligence, and it doesn't, strictly speaking, originate from the brain!. In insects it *can't* since many insect species have more *eye cells* than brain cells, literally!.

So if it isn't tool use, or sociality!.!.!.!.by what criterion are you discussing "intelligence"!? Are you talking about mere communication among members of a society!? One could submit that whales and dolphins have us beat in that regard!. They communicate across miles of ocean, across multiple frequencies and species, using nothing but their natural senses and vocal ability!.!.!.!.!.

But what, generally, has this superior communication engendered!? Are some whale species not *still* endangered!? Do we *not* have to make extra efforts to protect dolphin species from our tuna nets!? I'm not saying whales or dolphins are dumb, or that they can't communicate, or that they *need* tool use or *need* to wage war on us!.!.!.

But if they were "more intelligent" than we are, you'd think that we'd not have to worry about over-whaling or tuna nets, right!? You'd think they'd know what to *avoid*: US!. The thing with cetaceans is: yes, some species of dolphin, porpoise and whale have bigger brains than we do!. But they are also *mammals* that can't come out on dry land, doing so *beaches and Kills* them!. So they have to *swim* 24/7, all their lives, from shortly after birth onward!. They have to or *drown*!. Which means they have to be partially *AWAKE* 24/7 too!. They only ever use *HALF* of their brain capacity at any given time because the other half *needs to sleep*!.

So what is it you *Mean* now!.!.!.!.!.by "more Intelligent" again!?

About the only other things I can think of are:

--Maybe you're talking about birds *in the collective* or insects *in the collective* because they both survived the mass extinction of the dinosaurs!. If so, you may be cheating since intelligence is generally considered an attribute of individuals, not *whole species* or societies!.

--Or perhaps you're suggesting that *the earth*, or the ecosystem *in the collective*, is smarter than we are!. Again, I'd suggest that you need to use a different term to describe a different attribute: resilience, craftiness, cleverness, adaptibility!.

--Or, you're suggesting that the *internet* has somehow *awakened* and become this "Creature"!. The only flaw with this scenario is: So far, computers can only *do what they are told to do*!. If it isn't in the code, it isn't *there* within the potential of the system!. So for a computer-based system to "awaken", someone or something would have to *tell it that it CAN do so*, in accordance to a certain paradigm or certain circumstances, and then see to it that the paradigm or circumstances *come about*, in the very least!.

How would this be different from infecting the system with a virus!? See what I mean!? You're still talking about code *entering* a system from the outside and not spontaneously originating from within, either by mutation or recombination or any sort of active, purposeful scavenging!.

So!.!.!.!.what were you saying again!? What do you mean by "more Intelligent" here again!?

Just asking!. ^_^Www@QuestionHome@Com

Oh, but there is!. It's called a dog!.

Okay, now that I got my affections out of the way, we have no idea what lies in the deepest trenches of the oceans, so we have no way of saying we are the most intelligent creatures!. There may be something deep within the ocean that knows all the secrets of life and death!. Since we appear more intelligent than what we see in our worlds, we make assumptions about our status, but a little humility would do us some good!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

We would by now have established communication with such a species; one that the governments world wide couldn't keep secret or hidden from the public!.

It opens up a good debate on whether or not such a species more intelligent than humankind would either be a harmonious ally!.!.!.!.!.or a horrific violent threat to OUR existence!.

Believe it or otherwise, but our U!.S!. Government has on official books--seriously established procedures on best handling the sudden discovery of "life form species" that "closely matches, equals---or surpasses the intellect of human beings"!.

So despite the vehement denials of further investigation into extraterrestial and/or UFO existance---it's evident the Government has prepared for such a Close Encounter; evidently SOME EVENT had to have been experienced to make them have such handling procedures on record!.

Note: The Government has been busy debunking ( offering only their opinion ) UFO sightings and official record reports: they NEVER have flat come out and said UFOs don't exist!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would personally like to meet this more intelligent creature!. I would have to hide him/her from others though!. Humans can be so cruel to species which are smarter than them!. We would only try to perform tests on them!. Pick at them!.!.!. lock them in cages!.!.!. and then when they finally die!.!. we would not let them rest!.!. we would continue to experiment on them!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

well whatever it is, if it could communicate with us, we could probably learn a thing or two!.!.!.however, even if we did have a more intelligent creature, i highly doubt that everyone would care, due to our stubbornness we would probably ignore itWww@QuestionHome@Com

I'm not sure about that!. considering the fact that God made humans the most wise, and intelligent!. although some, refuse to be wise!.

surely I believe that there might be other signs of life!. probably not as smart and logical than man, but close!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm sure there are more intelligent creatures!. !. !. but it's our opposable thumb that sets us apart!. :P

But then again, what do you consider to be intelligent!? Most of the time, I think humans are pretty stupid!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

the essence of your question lies in your definition of intelligence

your definition of intelligence is an asset of your bias intelligence

everything is relative!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I agree!. But they are called different names all around the world and some are even worshiped!. It's for sure they are not allowed to dominate man for this is man's world to rule!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You mean like dolphins!? I will grant you that they are smart, but they haven't developed the control of things and amassed the knowledge that humans have!. Let's be realistic about this!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Let's hope we figure that out before we make them extinct!.

Of course, if there were a more intelligent creature, you'd think they would have figured out how to communicate with us by now!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would say wow i didn't see that coming unless it's invisible and then I'd be o that makes sense!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

it's probably wondering the same thingWww@QuestionHome@Com

If there is one I ask it to make itself known and communicate with us!.!.!.!.

*deafening silence*Www@QuestionHome@Com

That would be a fun creature to hunt right!. Like Predator or some sh*t !Www@QuestionHome@Com

People already know I exist!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well its certainly sitting tight then!.!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You mean God!. Yeah He's everywhereWww@QuestionHome@Com

if u ask me, i think there is, and we humans arent smart enough to find themWww@QuestionHome@Com

then what could it be!?!?
haven't thought of it yet!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

We'd kill it and eat it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com