This just confirmed by a PBS "Nature" documentary: Crows communicate with one another linguistically. So here's my question: doesn't that cast doubt on the whole ridiculous dichotomy that Humans believe, which posits Man as intelligent and Animals as 'dumb'? Just because we don't speak or understand Crow (or other Animal languages, for that matter), does that mean they don't think? Don't philosophize? Don't gossip? Don't pray? I believe Animals of every species do all these things in their own way. I believe that the biologies of Humans and Animals explain relatively little difference between the way we think and the way they do. I believe that the cultural differences between us explain far more. Man has cut himself off a great deal from the culture of the Animals.
But this was not always the case. In primitive societies Humans paid a lot more attention to wild Animals. Native Americans, for example, learned the story of the Creation from things told to them by Ravens. The Coyote led many of the early Americans through troubled times at the beginning of their time on this Continent. Aboriginal cultures in Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Islands also feature much Human-Animal communication in their early mythologies. Either modern Humans are far more 'intelligent' than their forebears in these aboriginal cultures (which I doubt), or there is something to these old myths.
I believe in inter-species communication. I believe it is a lost art, but that it can be learned again. All it takes is lots of time in Nature, patience, and attention to detail. 80% (or something) of all communication is non-verbal. So even without understanding Crow 'words,' by giving a Crow attention and respect you can intuitively communicate with him or her. I believe the same is true for many other species - it just requires getting into the Natural mindset, and discarding all your societal notions about the 'special place of Humans' or whatever nonsense.
I believe Man can learn about the Universe by communicating with Animals, who haven't forgotten as much about the Spirit World as we have. Remember: it was Man who was expelled from the Garden. For Animals, it still exists. It is all around them. Only we are oblivious to it, and spend our time cutting down its Trees and polluting its Rivers.
Some look to eschatology or religion to try to figure out what's around the bend for Humans. Some even hope for aliens to come to Earth and teach us "how to survive without killing our planet." But I think that Animals have the answers to these things, and more.
-KiJjiT
"A Murder of Crows" by PBS
http://video.pbs.org/video/1621910826/
But this was not always the case. In primitive societies Humans paid a lot more attention to wild Animals. Native Americans, for example, learned the story of the Creation from things told to them by Ravens. The Coyote led many of the early Americans through troubled times at the beginning of their time on this Continent. Aboriginal cultures in Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Islands also feature much Human-Animal communication in their early mythologies. Either modern Humans are far more 'intelligent' than their forebears in these aboriginal cultures (which I doubt), or there is something to these old myths.
I believe in inter-species communication. I believe it is a lost art, but that it can be learned again. All it takes is lots of time in Nature, patience, and attention to detail. 80% (or something) of all communication is non-verbal. So even without understanding Crow 'words,' by giving a Crow attention and respect you can intuitively communicate with him or her. I believe the same is true for many other species - it just requires getting into the Natural mindset, and discarding all your societal notions about the 'special place of Humans' or whatever nonsense.
I believe Man can learn about the Universe by communicating with Animals, who haven't forgotten as much about the Spirit World as we have. Remember: it was Man who was expelled from the Garden. For Animals, it still exists. It is all around them. Only we are oblivious to it, and spend our time cutting down its Trees and polluting its Rivers.
Some look to eschatology or religion to try to figure out what's around the bend for Humans. Some even hope for aliens to come to Earth and teach us "how to survive without killing our planet." But I think that Animals have the answers to these things, and more.
-KiJjiT
"A Murder of Crows" by PBS
http://video.pbs.org/video/1621910826/
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