Things you always wanted to know the answer to [Vol. 2]
Discussion
Dr Jekyll said:
Suppose there was once a smart species of Dinosaur. I don't mean in terms of advanced technology but in terms of flint tools, cave paintings and generally banging the rocks together. Would we ever be able to tell?
Do you mean by way of artifacts or biologically? They would certainly have had to have much larger skulls than any found up to now. They would have had to evolve considerably...developed larger forelimbs, lost their tails, stood upright... .goldblum said:
Dr Jekyll said:
Suppose there was once a smart species of Dinosaur. I don't mean in terms of advanced technology but in terms of flint tools, cave paintings and generally banging the rocks together. Would we ever be able to tell?
Do you mean by way of artifacts or biologically? They would certainly have had to have much larger skulls than any found up to now. They would have had to evolve considerably...developed larger forelimbs, lost their tails, stood upright... .I always felt this idea was a bit too humanoid.
Dr Jekyll said:
Suppose there was once a smart species of Dinosaur. I don't mean in terms of advanced technology but in terms of flint tools, cave paintings and generally banging the rocks together. Would we ever be able to tell?
I would say not. Monkeys use stick tools, though they don't carry them away once used. And some birds, as you mention. We only know this because we have watched them do it - it leaves no evidence. Hell, we still don't acknowledge sentience in the Great Apes, even though you can converse with them, if taught a common sign language. I think we are wilfully blind in that regard.Dr Jekyll said:
Magpies have relative brain size in the same ball park as monkeys and are quite clever with tools and hooks.
Neither magpies nor monkeys are particularly accomplished at cave art AFAIK. Being 'clever with tools' - I take it you mean opening cashews with a rock etc - is not an exercise that would involve cognitive learning, quite an amount of self-concept and creativity...for that you would need a creature with a much larger brain. Incidentally I don't know about magpies but I imagine both them and monkeys learn basic acts by copying others of their ilk.The creature in the pic does look rather interesting though and if evolution had gone right instead of left... .
goldblum said:
Dr Jekyll said:
Suppose there was once a smart species of Dinosaur. I don't mean in terms of advanced technology but in terms of flint tools, cave paintings and generally banging the rocks together. Would we ever be able to tell?
Do you mean by way of artifacts or biologically? They would certainly have had to have much larger skulls than any found up to now. They would have had to evolve considerably...developed larger forelimbs, lost their tails, stood upright... .lord trumpton said:
It's an age old question but still I have no answer...Why can't women throw stones?
I think the serious answer has to be something to do with ancient parts of the brain that (most) women don't have in the same way blokes do.Just as a woman can walk into a room and straight away intuit if any of the people in there are upset with each other. I simply can't do that.
I don't think to try, which may be part of the problem.
SpeckledJim said:
I think the serious answer has to be something to do with ancient parts of the brain that (most) women don't have in the same way blokes do.
Just as a woman can walk into a room and straight awayintuit make wild suppositions if any of the people in there are upset with each other. I simply can't be arsed to do that.
I don'tthink to try give a damn, which may be part of the problem is the reason.
EFAJust as a woman can walk into a room and straight away
I don't
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