Hatrack River Forum: Dolphins and tool use

This is topic Dolphins and tool use in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :

Yahoo News Article on Dolphins and tool use

Fascinating.

-Trevor

Posted by antihero (Member # 8156) on :

I'm writing a novella right now on a man who has lived for five years with a group of blue whales in the darkest, bluest part of the ocean.

The only creatures with cerebrums larger than our own, I believe, are whales and dolphins. We know they are self-aware as they can recognize themselves in mirrors. We know they communicate. Could they be sentient?

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

I guess only one male was sponge-worthy.

Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :

quote:
I guess only one male was sponge-worthy.

One of the best Seinfeld's ever... [Big Grin]

Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :

quote:
We know they communicate. Could they be sentient?

<humming> So long and thanks for all the fish...

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

ah.. darn -- Goody beat me to it! [Smile]

Posted by johnsonweed (Member # 8114) on :

Have you read the Uplift
Saga by David Brin? Book 2 Startide Rising has great dolphin characters.

Posted by Marek (Member # 5404) on :

quote:
Originally posted by johnsonweed:
Have you read the Uplift
Saga by David Brin? Book 2 Startide Rising has great dolphin characters.

glad I'm not the only one who thaught of those books, I'm currently reading the third one myself, but really liked Startide Rising.

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

emerac6, that's one of my favorite Onion bits. [Smile]

Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :

Speaking of sponges, living in pineapples under the sea.

And speaking of cetacean tool-use, sometimes ya just have a taste for game fowl.

Posted by Stone_Wolf_ (Member # 8299) on :

I too was going to mention Startide Rising. Good book.

Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :

quote:
We know they are self-aware as they can recognize themselves in mirrors. We know they communicate. Could they be sentient?

What do you mean by sentient? Websters dictionary defines sentient as

1 : responsive to or conscious of sense impressions.

I can't see how there would be any question that dolphins and whales are responsive to sense impressions. The evidence for that is far greater than evidence tha the are self-aware. Even animals with far smaller brains show clear evidence of sentience as defind by webster.

Given that, I must assume that you mean something else by sentience -- could you please define it.