tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8158319986602952349.post7437912284624532095..comments2023-08-16T12:44:15.891-05:00Comments on Primate Freedom: Can apes talk?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8158319986602952349.post-29767807970137664502008-07-07T12:44:00.000-05:002008-07-07T12:44:00.000-05:00I agree: a continuum it is. One where humans sit ...I agree: a continuum it is. One where humans sit at the very end of the tail with other species lagging way behind.<BR/><BR/>My dog can get his leash when he wants to go out. This behavior is reinforced when I actually decide to walk him. He is clearly communicating with me. Talking? I don't think so. <BR/><BR/>A good book to read: "Faces in the clouds". It is about antropomorphism in religion -- but I think it applies equally well in our relationship with animals.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8158319986602952349.post-76456927457514653702008-07-06T21:38:00.000-05:002008-07-06T21:38:00.000-05:00I find it very weird when I see humans speaking co...I find it very weird when I see humans speaking conversationally to primates (as occurs in this video & as I've seen in other documentaries), asking them to respond to fairly complex ideas (e.g. "Do you prefer hotdogs or marshmallows?"), and then be asked: Can primates talk? Can they understand language? Gee - ya think?<BR/><BR/>Also annoying are attempts to keep raising the bar (in this case, with regards language) so as to exclude nonhumans. We're all part of a continuum, biologically, emotionally, psychologically. It's time for humans - researchers & philosophers not least of all - to come to grips with the obvious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8158319986602952349.post-2024883499432547472008-07-04T11:23:00.000-05:002008-07-04T11:23:00.000-05:00When Roger Fouts visited Booee, who had been sent ...When Roger Fouts visited Booee, who had been sent to a lab from the language studies at Oklahoma, he repeatedly signed to Roger from his small cage: "Key" and "Out."<BR/><BR/>This was captured on film by one of the TV news shows. (20/20 maybe.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8158319986602952349.post-51207472285899731472008-07-04T09:29:00.000-05:002008-07-04T09:29:00.000-05:00No, they can't.They are just associating a few pic...No, they can't.<BR/><BR/>They are just associating a few pictures with sounds.<BR/><BR/>If they could talk, wouldn't they be saying "I want to leave this place!" or "Let my people go"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com