Dolphins are Self Aware - Why this matters so much

The original article on whether the dolphin has rights is pretty impressive. It was followed up by a thread on ATS.

Just as impressive, is that the dolphin is self aware , they can communicate and have a reasonably large vocabulary. Dolphins can use tools and pass on their skills to their pups. Dolphins have also shown emotions (by staring angrily at a cameraman).

The amount of intelligence that a dolphin has - opens all sorts of questions :
- Can a dolphin pass on knowledge verbally from one generation to the next? (Very likely)
- Can a dolphin tell a story? Can a dolphin visualise?
- If a dolphin is self aware then can it know right from wrong? Does it have a moral code?
- Does a dolphin have real choices and can it feel "bad" when it makes the wrong choice?
- Does a dolphin have faith? Does a dolphin have a soul?

If the answer to some of the questions are YES then the intelligence and conscious of the human is no longer unique. This has all sorts of moral (Dolphin Rights) as well as religious issues (God gave free will to two creatures not one).

This also has impacts on the disclosure of ET - many of the problems of disclosure is that it makes the human no longer the unique animal to have such a level of self awareness. However, the dolphin may have already crossed this ground.

I do think that these findings could be so fundamental in years to come

reply to post by templar knight


Its not enough to be self aware. A cat is self aware. Its knowing that you are aware that makes the difference. Are the dolphons aware that they are aware of themselves ? Can we even know that ?

reply to post by templar knight
As much to give this post a bump as anything.

This also begs the question on how we treat intelligence that is not the same as ours? Until we meet that question with an answer I hope we are never visited by other beings. It would be too embarrassing.

The intelligence of humans has never been unique. It's mankind's greatest flaw, arrogance, that makes us think we're "special."

We need to realize this whole universe is a miracle, not just this planet, and certainly not mankind as a species.
Soon we'll discover many more planets full of life out there and maybe then we'll remember how small and connected to this world we really are.
Science, Gods, Spiritual Energies.... whatever you believe, it can no longer be said we are the only children in this reality. The dolphins have language, the crows, the ants, the trees. Just because we've yet to understand everything about all things, it doesn't mean we can claim dominance over this world, it means the exact opposite actually. Mankind needs to be reminded of its roots. We need to be humbled again.

I believe it has been proven plants are self aware. ALL animals have a great deal more intelligence then we're being taught.

It's the ability to reason that sets humans apart, not self awareness. Not only do we observe something falling out of the sky and move out of it's way, we stop and try and determine where it came from and who threw it. Do Dolphins do this? I don't know, but this is the kind of behavior I would be looking for if we are trying to determine how smart Dolphins are.

reply to post by templar knight


If dolphins can visualize then can they manifest? I hope not.
How could anyone know if a dolphin can visualize? I doubt it. That would take superior imagination.
Dont be so quick to give our supremacy away to another species. We are still top dog on the planet.

They are more than self-aware. Can anyone tell me "how" they do this? It blows me away every single time...

They will take over!

You never saw the simpsons?

reply to post by colin42


Of couse there are exceptions but I think most humans are kind to lesser entities. Even a very young child will show kindness to animals. ( unless they are big and scary anyway LOL )

Originally posted by TheLieWeLive
It's the ability to reason that sets humans apart, not self awareness. Not only do we observe something falling out of the sky and move out of it's way, we stop and try and determine where it came from and who threw it. Do Dolphins do this? I don't know, but this is the kind of behavior I would be looking for if we are trying to determine how smart Dolphins are.

All animals do this.

They hear a noise. determine the direction it comes from. Decide (reason ) if it is a threat or a chance to eat. React accordingly. They even decide whether to call an alarm if they belong to a group.

My cat is pretty smart....she can talk sort of...has words for
"out, milk, treats etc"
Id say shes self aware....
Shed def get out of the way of moving objects....
Comon, dolphins may be smart as we, thats the difference...
If this is so, then we should be able to communicate....
reminds me of my dog spot....
used to ride in the front seat...
One time i was lost and he spoke up and said turn left here.....i
looked at him and said why didnt you tell me you could talk?
he shrugged and said"You never asked me"

reply to post by colin42


Animals other than Humans do not have this ability to reason. Next time you're playing catch with your dog act like you're going to throw the ball but don't actually throw it. Lets see if your dog figures it out or continues to search the yard for a ball that isn't there. The dog doesn't reason that maybe you didn't throw it after all unless he sees the object still in your hand.

You're confusing reason with instinct.

reply to post by FugitiveSoul


You suffer from esteem problems my friend. We are superior in every single way . It is not a flaw to realize what reality is. It is not arrogance to realize what reality is. I do not understand humans who want to give this very special part of our being away or deny it for some strange reason. We are HomoSapien Sapien, we are doubly wise and we are superior to every other species on the planet. You can act falsely modest and might even believe it but it wont ever be true. Step up and be who you are. Spectacular, special, imaginative, human. Special in every way. Welcome to the species.

We have never been the unique animal on this planet but some people have an ego problem and like to think they are special. They are special but so is every other being on this planet also. Sometimes I think I would like to experiance the life as a dolphin/whale or cat. We humans gotta be crazy with all our working when animals can just be and have fun being.

Life of a cat. Eat/sleep/clean yourself/play with toys/get peted.

I have severe misgivings about attributing certain characteristics to dolphins, cetaceans, and or other animals.

There is no doubt that they feel, they may even think and communicate with each other.

But until we can communicate with them meaningfully, we may just be seeing the Pygmalion effect in play. An intellectual bit of hubris we are willing to endure to project our own reason onto the world around us.

I may be wrong, I may be right, but in either case, there are some thing we cannot deny; one being that these creatures are by no means demonstrating culture, continuity of knowledge, or the development of stewardship and philanthropy towards each other or us (this is not to say we are exemplary by those standards, we ourselves have far to go - and there are exceptions and exceptional individuals everywhere who may be harbingers of a new way for both them and us.)

I find it rather distressing however, that we should focus primarily on these particular creatures, when non-mammals also demonstrate the hallmarks of intelligence far beyond what many are commonly aware of.

reply to post by colin42


That is not the same as seeing something fall from the sky and then trying to find the source of the item. Responding to a sound is basic instinct. The determination of whether something is edible is often made by an attempt to eat the object. It does not show any intelligence that a shark will bite a license plate as quickly as it will another fish.

reply to post by TheLieWeLive


And a cat will chase a laser light around a room all night never realizing that they have no hope of ever catching it.

reply to post by apushforenlightment


The fact that I have an ego makes me special. My cat does not have an ego. Nothing wrong with having an ego. That word has somehow become a dirty word. Ego ego ego. Its not bad to have one. I guess you can tell from this post and the others above it that I believe we are very special. I am special and so are you. Why deny it. Revel in it instead. Shout if from the rooftops. I am HUMAN and I am SPECIAL.

reply to post by templar knight

Dolphins are Self Aware

I don't want what I am going to say to be taken wrong. I actually DO like dolphins. I grew up along the coast and got to know a few of them in fairly close-up and personal terms. These are very smart creatures and also, very social ones with species other than their own.

But that said, I am not sure that even our own species completely understands what self-awareness is and exactly how to tag it in an animal we don't yet speak with in its own language. The commonalities between man and this beast are certainly present, but so are the differences. Moreover, I am not sure I want to saddle dolphins, porpoises and whales with human imperfections and deceits.

Let's face it, we are not a very trustworthy critter ourselves. Why would we assume upon ourselves the right to extend our presumed domain upon this creature?

My position is to leave nature alone. We have pretty much screwed up this world already... there's no reason whatsoever we should subvert another species.