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From: davidh@uhunix1.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (David A. Helweg)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: are chimps smarter than dolphins?
Summary: thumbs and bubbles
Message-ID: <13555@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
Date: 20 Jun 91 19:54:17 GMT
References: <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov>
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Organization: University of Hawaii
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In article <1991Jun20.015644.11346@bnlux1.bnl.gov> kyee@bnlux1.bnl.gov (kenton yee) writes:
>can an expert tell us if chimps or dolphins/porpoises would do
>better on scholastic-type intelligence tests?  
> 
Chimps would outperform dolphins *hands-down*, as they have opposable thumbs 
and generally greater manual dexterity, which would allow them to fill in the
bubble sheets much more neatly. ;-)

Seriously now, what animal gets around better, a horse or a dolphin?  Each
performs well subject to the constraints of the environment to which it is
adapted, in which it has evolved.  The scholastic test is biased towards the
ecological and social conditions of modern-day (white middle-class male)
humans.  To make such comparisons, if valid at all, the tests would have to
reflect each species' natural history.

dah & hlr & heh