08-26-2014, 12:37 AM
davester wrote: If we were wiped out today, the bonobos (so called pygmy chimpanzees; aka pan paniscus) are probably the most intellectually advanced beings on earth other than ourselves, with emotional characteristics, language learning skills and tool-making and using skills similar to ho mo sapiens.
Similar? Hmm…I think that's stretching it, davester.
Beyond that, h o m o sapiens possesses certain characteristics that appear to be absolutely unique, e.g. time sense (both literal and existential), symbology and modelling, and music. None of those is a mere extension of "intelligence." We are also the only known species that cooks its food, a capability critical to efficient caloric intake and intensive exploitation of the environment. Without cooking, we likely could not have supported our brains and brain evolution.