> Born wild, Ai was soon taken into captivity and sold to KUPRI in 1977 by an animal trader (this type of sale became illegal in 1980 with Japan's ratification of CITES).
I think it is only a question and matter of time before
the prison systems for monkeys may have to be reconsidered
completely. Of course even smarter monkeys than Kanzi
won't reach human brain functions, but they are also very
convincingly extremely clever and can adapt. Numerous videos
where monkeys handle (!) smartphones show this already and
this is just the beginning. Like, in the movie Planet of the
Apes. Just long-term in smaller steps.
An anthropologist writes about communication and language in The Language Puzzle, https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/steven-mithen/the... , TLDR, a little speculative but no primate exhibits evidence beyond a very primitive form of communication - only the extreme outliers are used in demonstrations, which are not much upon closer examination, there’s probably an evolutionary step needed for any other primate than man to use language as far as we can tell. There are key differences in brain and vocalization physiology between humans and other primates .
My coworkers gifted me a painting by cheeta (the last chimp to play him) when I left the job. I framed it professionally in rattan and banana wood. The painting itself looks very similar to the paintings by Ai- same color schemes and patterns.
Edit to add instead of a new comment:
I also remember how good of a life he had in retirement. He lived in an apartment-like dwelling. Slept in a bed, woke up and ate some fruit. Would plink on the piano awhile, maybe paint some, go for a swim or walk, maybe play the piano or paint some more.... it was amusing to read while slaving away at the coding mines.
49 years enslaved in a laboratory, forced to learn tricks, likely deprived of food and comfort until she played along. No clue why Jane Goodall embraced such cruelty. Showing how intelligent non-human animals are, then forcing them to endure such inhumane treatment is par the course for 'scientists'.
I just watched the horror movie Primate, where such a chimp got rabies and starts killing everyone by the numbers in very clever and horrid ways. Not funny
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[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 48.8 ms ] threadSo how do we do this kind of thing now?
The only art-centric monkey I knew was Koko, the female gorilla.
Here she draws some things:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iixL0CMOAM
Smartest monkey I ever saw was Kanzi though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENKinbfgrkU
I think it is only a question and matter of time before the prison systems for monkeys may have to be reconsidered completely. Of course even smarter monkeys than Kanzi won't reach human brain functions, but they are also very convincingly extremely clever and can adapt. Numerous videos where monkeys handle (!) smartphones show this already and this is just the beginning. Like, in the movie Planet of the Apes. Just long-term in smaller steps.
What about an intellectually disabled adult?
Edit to add instead of a new comment: I also remember how good of a life he had in retirement. He lived in an apartment-like dwelling. Slept in a bed, woke up and ate some fruit. Would plink on the piano awhile, maybe paint some, go for a swim or walk, maybe play the piano or paint some more.... it was amusing to read while slaving away at the coding mines.
Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees by Roger Fouts
Absolutely brilliant!
Evidence of intentionality in the painting would demand a well structured experiment.