language
chimpanzees is different from that of humans, and it is impossible to produce the vowels and consonants of human language. Now chimpanzees cannot speak human language, not because of their lack of intelligence, but because of the physical structure of the tongue and vocal cords. It is not impossible for the chimpanzees to speak human words if they undergo surgical operations to change the structure of their oral cavity, or create a special device that converts the chimpanzee's voice into the familiar voice of humans. (But it is impossible to make chimpanzees speak by improving their intelligence as in the movie.)
Because chimpanzees cannot speak human voices, scientists can only use other methods to train and test chimpanzees' language proficiency, such as: 1. Sign language; 2. Plastic symbols, different shapes represent different vocabulary; 3. Special keyboard, there are many different shapes of symbols on the keyboard to express various meanings.
Chimpanzees can master sign language and various symbolic languages proficiently. Foreign scientists have had many successful examples in this regard. For example,
in the 1960s, American researchers Allen Gardner and Beatrix Gardner taught a chimpanzee named Washoe sign language. Washoe mastered more than 800 symbols and also actively taught sign language to other chimpanzees.
Another legendary example is Kanzi, who may be the non-human with the most human languages in the world. Originally, the researcher did not teach Kanzi, but was teaching Kanzi's mother, Matata. Kanzi was a baby at the time and her mother always took him with him in class. Unexpectedly, Matata didn't learn anything, but Kanzi learned very fast.
The researchers taught Kanzi keyboard language, but Kanzi taught himself (!) some sign language symbols while watching TV. It wasn't until Kanzi took the initiative to sign the researcher that the researcher realized that Kanzi could actually sign language.
Every time Kanzi uses the keyboard to communicate with the researcher, a sound is made in his mouth. It was later discovered that these voices were not unconsciously muttering, but Kanzi was trying to speak. The sound he made corresponds to the keyboard symbols. It's just that the chimpanzee's speech organ is different from that of humans, so humans cannot distinguish his voice.
Other close relatives of humans, such as gorillas, also have successful examples of teaching sign language or symbolic language. However, in general, chimpanzees are taught the most. After all, chimpanzees are the closest to humans and are the smartest.
Using and manufacturing tools
Chinese people are more educated in Marxism, and they always feel that tools are unique to humans and are a sign of the difference between humans and animals. When commenting on historical figures, Marxism likes to talk about "historical limitations". In fact, Marx himself has historical limitations. The year of Marx's birth and death was 1818-1883. At that time, human beings did not have a deep understanding of animals. Marx was forgiven for being so sympathetic at the time. More than one hundred years have passed. Humans have observed the behavior of many animals using and even making tools. If they still insist that only humans can use tools, that would be an anti-scientific attitude. I believe that if Marx lives to the present, he will definitely change his views.
In the 1960s, Jane Goodall observed that wild chimpanzees stretched branches into termite dens to "fish" for termites. This is the first time humans have discovered that chimpanzees use tools. This discovery shocked the world.
Wild chimpanzees also use tools to smash nuts. The popular tools of various chimpanzee tribes are different. Some tribes use stones, and some tribes use wooden sticks. This can be said to be a "cultural phenomenon."
In one experiment, the researchers placed a model of a leopard in a group of chimpanzees to observe their reactions. The chimpanzees were very excited and beat the leopard model with a big wooden stick, knocking out the head of the leopard.
Chimpanzees also use leaves and moss to make a "sponge" to absorb water to scrub themselves.
In 2007, researchers observed that chimpanzees on the Fongoli grassland cut branches sharply with their hands and teeth to make spears for hunting.
Note that chimpanzees not only use branches and stones, but first process the branches and stones to make them meet their own requirements, so they are considered manufacturing tools. The so-called manufacturing tools of the human Paleolithic era are nothing more than this.
Chimpanzee rights movement
Chimpanzees not only have a very high level of intelligence, but also have feelings and self-awareness. Some people believe that chimpanzees are too similar to humans. It is cruel and immoral to use chimpanzees to do harmful experiments and kill and abandon them when they are not used like objects. Some countries have legislated to prohibit this behavior, such as Austria, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The United States does not have such a law, so chimpanzees are treated like that in the film.
Some people even believe that chimpanzees are equivalent to people who are unable to express their wishes and should be given human rights to chimpanzees (like children and people with dementia, their human rights are also inalienable). On February 28, 2007, the Balearic Islands in the autonomous province of eastern Spain granted certain human rights to all human animals (including chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans). Will this be extended to the whole of Spain and the rest of the world? We will wait and see.
The sources of various statements in the article are not indicated one by one. Please search for relevant keywords or check the English wiki.
Originally posted on my blog: http://myfairland.net/chimpanzee-intelligence/
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