crow watch, vol. 3
Sep. 17th, 2008 09:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
intersticecourtesy boingboing.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14745-crows-make-monkeys-out-of-chimps-in-mental-test.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news9_head_dn14745
Honestly, the variability in these studies is a bit weird. Why are some of the crows such consistent dullards? I believe this was commented on in the wire-bending case too - some crows just don't get it. Could these "puzzles" be at the edge of tractability, picking out the brighter ones?
I'm also not convinced that they completely removed all auxiliary cues when they "changed the appearance" of the equipment. I think scientists underestimate the variety and richness of the environment, hoodwinked by their own reductionist standards (not that this is bad).
e.g. Steven Pinker cites in How the Mind Works, arguing that taboos are mostly cultural and not primal wisdom, a study which found that young children had no problem eating feces. Of course, they didn't offer shit to children; they offered an "unmistakable" simulation made of stinky cheese, chocolate and a few other things. Well, I'm convinced.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14745-crows-make-monkeys-out-of-chimps-in-mental-test.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news9_head_dn14745
Honestly, the variability in these studies is a bit weird. Why are some of the crows such consistent dullards? I believe this was commented on in the wire-bending case too - some crows just don't get it. Could these "puzzles" be at the edge of tractability, picking out the brighter ones?
I'm also not convinced that they completely removed all auxiliary cues when they "changed the appearance" of the equipment. I think scientists underestimate the variety and richness of the environment, hoodwinked by their own reductionist standards (not that this is bad).
e.g. Steven Pinker cites in How the Mind Works, arguing that taboos are mostly cultural and not primal wisdom, a study which found that young children had no problem eating feces. Of course, they didn't offer shit to children; they offered an "unmistakable" simulation made of stinky cheese, chocolate and a few other things. Well, I'm convinced.
