Comments on: Do Apes Dream of Electric Fences? (Pic of the Week) http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week Life consists of what a man is thinking of all day. - Emerson Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:02:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Linda http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week#comment-6466 Linda Sat, 09 Jun 2007 17:15:44 +0000 http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week/#comment-6466 Interesting... During an internship at a the Pittsburgh Zoo years ago, I started my day with a (largely one-sided) conversation with a rather intimidating Silverback named... I forget. We never discussed mortality so I can't provide any insight on the subject. I can't pass up an opportunity to coin an anacronym, as you know. How's this: Apes Peeing Everywhere So as to Hint at Its Territory. Hence, <strong>APESHIT</strong> Interesting…
During an internship at a the Pittsburgh Zoo years ago, I started my day with a (largely one-sided) conversation with a rather intimidating Silverback named… I forget. We never discussed mortality so I can’t provide any insight on the subject.
I can’t pass up an opportunity to coin an anacronym, as you know. How’s this:
Apes Peeing Everywhere So as to Hint at Its Territory.
Hence, APESHIT

]]> By: Anna http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week#comment-6453 Anna Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:10:53 +0000 http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week/#comment-6453 He is so beautiful Mark! He is so beautiful Mark!

]]> By: Erica http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week#comment-6452 Erica Fri, 08 Jun 2007 18:27:00 +0000 http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week/#comment-6452 Excellent question. Your examples of primate intelligence (as compared with supposedly superior human intelligence - you're right, I can't imagine human beings getting out of similar pickles) tell ME that they are smarter than most folks give them credit for. I agree with Moksha that perhaps the young mother was grieving in the only way she knew how - and I believe animals (even cats and dogs, etc) do grieve when they lose a close companion, though perhaps not quite the way we do. Not to say the loss isn't as hard on them, but that they grieve over the absence of the companion, not perhaps regretting things they always meant to say or do, whatever. Anyway! I think it's entirely possible that an ape could sense that death - or that loss, absence, whatever - might be in store for them at some point. Very tasty food for thought. Excellent question. Your examples of primate intelligence (as compared with supposedly superior human intelligence - you’re right, I can’t imagine human beings getting out of similar pickles) tell ME that they are smarter than most folks give them credit for. I agree with Moksha that perhaps the young mother was grieving in the only way she knew how - and I believe animals (even cats and dogs, etc) do grieve when they lose a close companion, though perhaps not quite the way we do. Not to say the loss isn’t as hard on them, but that they grieve over the absence of the companion, not perhaps regretting things they always meant to say or do, whatever.

Anyway! I think it’s entirely possible that an ape could sense that death - or that loss, absence, whatever - might be in store for them at some point. Very tasty food for thought.

]]> By: Ashwathy http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week#comment-6449 Ashwathy Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:33:15 +0000 http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week/#comment-6449 Cool...love that image! Cool…love that image!

]]> By: Blitz Krieg http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week#comment-6445 Blitz Krieg Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:12:55 +0000 http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week/#comment-6445 I think about death and all that goes on without me too much. Probably to the point of it being unhealthy. I still haven't been presented an idea or come up with my own that I accept concerning death and the afterlife. I refuse to believe any animals have a clue or even think about it, though our dog may be getting the idea when I give her the "look that could kill". I think about death and all that goes on without me too much. Probably to the point of it being unhealthy. I still haven’t been presented an idea or come up with my own that I accept concerning death and the afterlife.

I refuse to believe any animals have a clue or even think about it, though our dog may be getting the idea when I give her the “look that could kill”.

]]> By: Moksha Gren http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week#comment-6444 Moksha Gren Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:53:02 +0000 http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week/#comment-6444 I'd agree that most animals are probably more aware than we're comfortable admitting to. Some of the examples you site are truly impressive. But death is a tough one. Hell..we humans don't really understand it. We grapple with it and stare at it like chimp with a puzzle, but can we really say that we understand it? And even the chimp carrying her baby around after it had died...it might not be as common in humans, but I can imagine a similar response from a grief-stricken mother. Maybe not for days...but for longer than might seem sane to an outside observer. Dave - I don't know about apes...but I know some women who are pretty fond of their electric bananas. (Sorry, Mark...I know you were trying to get your blog out of the gutter ;) I’d agree that most animals are probably more aware than we’re comfortable admitting to. Some of the examples you site are truly impressive. But death is a tough one. Hell..we humans don’t really understand it. We grapple with it and stare at it like chimp with a puzzle, but can we really say that we understand it?

And even the chimp carrying her baby around after it had died…it might not be as common in humans, but I can imagine a similar response from a grief-stricken mother. Maybe not for days…but for longer than might seem sane to an outside observer.

Dave - I don’t know about apes…but I know some women who are pretty fond of their electric bananas. (Sorry, Mark…I know you were trying to get your blog out of the gutter ;)

]]> By: Mark http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week#comment-6443 Mark Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:26:15 +0000 http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week/#comment-6443 Dave - Ha! Indeed, they must. Simon - Yes, it would. So I changed it, and now you look like a fool! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Oh, ahem. Sorry about that. I think I originally wrote "urine self-awareness," which would be USA. I agree with you that we don't give them near as much credit for their brainpower. I think it makes us feel better about some of the ways we use our power over them. Dave - Ha! Indeed, they must.

Simon - Yes, it would. So I changed it, and now you look like a fool! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

Oh, ahem. Sorry about that. I think I originally wrote “urine self-awareness,” which would be USA.

I agree with you that we don’t give them near as much credit for their brainpower. I think it makes us feel better about some of the ways we use our power over them.

]]> By: Simon http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week#comment-6442 Simon Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:59:53 +0000 http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week/#comment-6442 Wouldn't urine self-recognition be "USR"? If it were urine "sexy" self-recognition (like from a female dog), then you could call it USSR and get the Beatles to write a song about it. I'm pretty strongly convinced that animals (many, anyway) have a lot more awareness than we superior apes give them credit for. I don't know if that sort of awareness would extend as far as mortality, but there's generally more going on behind the furry facades than many of us think. It's like that one dog said in reference to humans on that really lame movie trailer a couple years ago, "You don't see us picking up their poop, do you?" Wouldn’t urine self-recognition be “USR”? If it were urine “sexy” self-recognition (like from a female dog), then you could call it USSR and get the Beatles to write a song about it.

I’m pretty strongly convinced that animals (many, anyway) have a lot more awareness than we superior apes give them credit for. I don’t know if that sort of awareness would extend as far as mortality, but there’s generally more going on behind the furry facades than many of us think.

It’s like that one dog said in reference to humans on that really lame movie trailer a couple years ago, “You don’t see us picking up their poop, do you?”

]]> By: Dave http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week#comment-6440 Dave Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:19:23 +0000 http://blog.markwill.com/2007/06/07/do-apes-dream-of-electric-fences-pic-of-the-week/#comment-6440 Hmm, alternate title: Do Apes Dream of Electric Bananas? Hmm, alternate title:

Do Apes Dream of Electric Bananas?

]]>