I, For One, Welcome Our New Cephalopod Masters....

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

Mostly, I just want an excuse to post a brutally cool video:

Watch on YouTube

However, it does raise a few interesting questions -- the octopus under study doesn't merely make use of the coconut shell as a hermit crab uses another shell for shelter. The octopus actually selects shells, cleans them out and then carries them with them in anticipation of an abstract need for protection from a not yet present threat.

Pretty damned sophisticated behavior and likely learned recently rather than programmed into instinct.

So a few questions:

1) Is this definite indication of sentience and intelligence?
2) What IS intelligence in the sense that we use it to describe ourselves as unique animals?
3) Does the existence of an invertebrate that demonstrates problem solving intelligence complicate our general relationship with animals?

Amendment: Question 3A: Does the recognition of problem-solving intelligence that thinks abstractly about time and space in another species give additional creedence to the arguments of the animal rights movement?

And for the science fiction fans in the audience:

What are the chances that human beings may some day be "out evolved" by another species of animal?

Bonus question: Am I in big karmic trouble for my love of takoyaki?

Comments

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

Meh, you were doing the mod thing, and that's not bad. Someone's gotta do it.

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

I try not to :)