Jamesstin
780
7
4
I felt super bad that he got a bee friendo so I've been feeding him flies I swap down in the house. Also anyone know what kind of spider she is?
Just on the topic of jumping spider. Read this if you want to be amazed by how intelligent these certain jumping spiders are especially their gals. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portia_labiata
I am convinced humans are far from the "most intelligent" creature on earth; humans being the top minds on earth is basically identical to the "alpha male" phenomenon among men who are insecure and/or ridiculous{but in a bad way}; they just arbitrarily branded themselves as belonging to some apparent upper tier with no third party consensus on it.
If the Portia labiata interested you then you might enjoy "Children of Time" by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It's about these specific spiders being artificially evolved and observed by a near extinct human race.
bluhippo
Thats a Nope Spider
pm1001
What's an Obama phone?
Jamesstin
It's a nickname for a government safety net called the Lifeline program. Been around for landlines since Reagan but earned the nickname Obama phone when the program was revamped for cell phone use. Not sure if the term was originally inflammatory or positive but ObamaPhone is imo a benign term for the program and the often jankyass phones they give you but beggar's can't be choosers apparently
therealalansmithee
Maybe Obama-era phone is what they meant?
iamthemanwithnoname
So what is it the spiders do that you think makes them more intelligent than humans? Because I read the wiki and didn't see anything beyond the capabilities of a human. I can however think of a lot of smart things humans have done that no spider has managed to do.
Jamesstin
Maybe read about the whole genius Portia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portia_(spider) it might go into greater detail.
iamthemanwithnoname
It all seems to be about hunting but humans have advanced so far past that to the point we no longer even need to hunt at all. We have domesticated our prey. In what way is sneaking up on prey more intelligent than a human? I also know a few people who still hunt for fun and they can sneak up on all sorts of stuff. It's smart for a spider but I don't see any support for the claim they are smarter than humans.
Jamesstin
And I never asserted anything was smarter than humans. I'll asser that we absolutely lack the ability to test it. And frankly, the conversation isn't something that's easy to have, for all I know you're just someone who has a ton of bias about the topic of hunting or vegetarianism or some shit. With mammals we can do tests like the mirror/self or tool tests like with corvids & buoyancy via test tubes. We can't do that with spiders but the devised tests so far have strong implications.
Jamesstin
I have a feeling you're just skimming if you think it's all about hunting and again you're looking at intelligence through a human centric lens. Ever had an IQ test? Like a legitimate one by a board certified psychologist?
iamthemanwithnoname
No. I did the one on TV back in the day but that obviously doesn't count. Let me know when another animal creates a smallpox vaccine or goes to the moon.
Jamesstin
It's difficult to say since intelligence is difficult to measure. There are things out of a beings control that give a huge advantage over other creatures; like how a human's and couple other species have eyes that do not reflect light at night. Say, if Neanderthal and humans hunted each other and neanderthal had reflective eyes, it would be an absurd disadvantage between two presumably similar intelligences but we know humans can't control this advantage besides being aware of the trait & 1
Jamesstin
& then creating strategies utilizing that trait like humans using night ambushes against neanderthal(again all hypothetical.) but what about things we aren't sure where the line is for a creatures inherent genetic traits and their level of intelligent control of said trait. Like an octopus being able to instantly camouflage. Is that conscious decision making? Is there a switch for on/off, or how intense the color change is? Or is it just some auto-response they have no control over? This might ²
Jamesstin
Something we already have an answer for, idk, but it still serves my point. We view intelligence through a human centric filter and when it comes to the things that can't be gauged that way, we often just dismiss it as an inherent genetic traits that the species has no control over and therefore isn't some impressive feat of intelligence. I'm not sure why it doesn't stand out to you but the reason for Portia is being studied jumps out at me and that's just short excerpts from wiki. I suggest ³
Jamesstin
Reading further on this incredible spider as I have(I won't pretend like I'm equipped to explain the research on this spider.) but even besides the intelligence aspects, their Vision acuity gives an example of just how much there is to learn about less species that most people don't give much attention too. when scientists devise suitable tests for species that can't easily be tested within this human centric manner; I won't be surprised if we find that the primate/whale/corvid etc theories ⁴
Jamesstin
Of what is closest to human intelligence are; at the least going to include far more than we care to admit. But this topic is convoluted as fuck. Most of the human population has religious views that damn any idea that a "lesser being" could be remotely intelligent, least of all will they admit it for a spider or bug. Sorry if I couldn't really answer your question.