all 22 comments

[–]magnora7 9 insightful - 2 fun9 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 2 fun -  (7 children)

I think humans have the ability to talk because we have the ability to talk to ourselves in our minds, which arises because our brain structure has folded on itself to where the temporal lobe touches the frontal lobe, creating a neural bridge. This bridge is called "Werneke's area" and "Brocas area" and if it is severed, a person cannot talk to themselves quietly in their own mind. Losing this ability is often paired with losing the ability to speak, or understand speech.

https://www.sltinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Brocas-and-Wernickes-areas.jpg

No other animals have a brain like this, where part of the cortex is folded over to touch a completely different part of the cortex. I think this structure, encoded in our genes, is what gives us this special ability. I also think that's why humans like music and animals don't care about it. We have a built-in audio looper.

[–][deleted] 11 insightful - 3 fun11 insightful - 2 fun12 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

No other animals have a brain like this

True, but humans are not the only species with language/communication. Humans are the only species that speak English (and other complex languages). Also, you're 100% right about the Broca's area! Most people can't name regions in the brain, let alone know what they do! I'm proud of u magz! My epileptic focal point is towards the top of my left temporal lobe, when a seizure spreads the broca's area is the first to get hit. My speech gets affected b4 (usually when I feel the aura and try to warn people or get somewhere safe) and after a seizure in the post-ictal state, I feel like i'm talking and it sounds to me like I am, but to everyone else I'm literally saying gibberish. Also did you know, part of speech therapy for those who can't speak due to Broca's area damage is singing? Your Broca's area can be shot, but if you sing, you can communicate! Singing uses a different part of the brain than the broca's area, which is why most singers have no accent when they sing!

Dolphins communicate so well, one was getting hand jobs from an American NASA Scientist, Margaret Lovett. Remember the Echo/ECCO Project?

Dr. John C. Lilly who ran it, and would go into K-holes in isolation tanks on NASA's dime? They chose Dolphins because Dolphins are one of the most intelligent species on Earth, Doctors and Scientists do believe they think similarly to humans, and they act similarly socially (they're one of the few species who participate in both recreational and homosexual sex, as well as recreational orgies. I forget the name, but there's also this poison puffer fish that releases this psycho-active chemical as part of it's defense system that has similar effects as cannabis, I believe it does work on the cannabinoid receptors. Dolphins have been filmed purposefully scaring them so they emit the chemical, and they will arrange themselves in a circle (they often do this socially), and take in the chemical released by the puffer fish and literally pass it around when they've had enough, in a circular order with their fins like they're throwing a joint to each other in order, under water) .

We already know basic animals like the domestic cat and dog are capable (depending on the dog) of thinking in terms of "If I do this, I'll get that/If that door opens, my mommy comes home!", they form schemas & plans to get things.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/exmjpz/the-ketamine-secrets-of-segas-ecco-the-dolphin-347

The whole purpose of Project Echo was to be able to communicate with intelligent beings from other worlds. Scientists asked themselves, if we've been on this planet for so long and haven't established a relationship or language with the smartest of species on this planet, how will aliens see us? So we tried to connect with Dolphins. Connect we did 🍆💦

So Project Echo was formed. Dolphins can communicate with humans and vice versa, better than apes even. And so well, that one scientist, Margarete Lovett, understood one particular dolphin was in love with her as it would bump her and only her in a certain way (they raised this dolphin from youth, placed it in tanks with females by itself hoping it would find a mate, but it literally preferred this one scientist sexually over any other human or dolphin and would only get "intimate" with her). Monogamy among dolphins is rare, but studies have shown the strongest dolphin bonds are almost always between a male & female dolphin which could lead to a life-long partner depending on the set of dolphins. The dolphin would get frantic whenever Margarete entered the water, and wouldn't pay attention to the lesson unless it got a hand job. So she gave it hand jobs! Hand Jobs for dolphins, why not?!

John C. Lilly on the other hand thought that was all good, but he liked the Ketamine and the Isolation tanks better. He believed he was transported to a place right outside of Earth's Atmosphere when he would enter certain K-Holes, a different dimension, and would communicate with aliens monitoring the Earth (which he called the Earth Coincidence Control Office, aka ECCO).

His findings are pretty crazy, and you may think he's pretty crazy, but he worked on the same project for NASA and the government for decades, was paid a lot, and given a lot of free Ketamine. The US Government believes ECCO exists, John used to work for SETI. They believe Earth is a frequency-based place (vibrational), which is why you don't need ships to travel - just your mind. John believed K-holes in isolation tanks floating in the dark on-top of salt water emulated meditation, just better.

But yeah, the moral of the story is humans can communicate with other animals, other animals did learn communication, other animals can communicate with each other (almost all use some verbal tones, but they mostly use body language and scent to communicate). They just can't speak English. We have unique vocal chords.

But even domesticated dogs and cats can learn that: When human says this "word", this "event/food" follows, so I get happy when I hear this word and do what humans want. Or I get scared because it's a negative word with negative experience connotations. That's basic B.F. Skinner

also, humans and dolphins communicated so well, a romantic relationship formed between Margaret Lovett, a NASA scientist, and a dolphin, and they understood each other's communications so well that she would give it fucking handys! Hand Jobs for dolphins! How's that 4 communication?

I actually learned a lot about this during my sophomore year of Uni, "Psych of Communication". It was a much more interesting class than I thought lol.

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 4 fun4 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 4 fun -  (2 children)

Singing uses a different part of the brain than the broca's area, which is why most singers have no accent when they sing!

The US Government believes ECCO exists, John used to work for SETI.

😮💥

I guess handies for science is the way.

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 4 fun4 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

Handies for science & sometimes more!!

[–]Tom_Bombadil 3 insightful - 4 fun3 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

Unbeknownst to the masses.. the furries (off-screen) movement formed the vanguard of human-dolphin communication research...
NSFW.

"Joe normie" didn't believe in science... :-/

[–]Antarchomachus 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

This is fascinating, thank you.

[–]Markimus 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

But there are people with no inner monologue who can speak, any idea on what's the deal with that?

I also think that's why humans like music and animals don't care about it. We have a built-in audio looper.

Big disagree. All animals like music, I've seen many animals vibing to tunes.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You're also 100% right, animals do enjoy music. As an example, /u/Optimus85 just posted this to /s/Life: https://saidit.net/s/Life/comments/8sm5/playing_banjo_for_a_wild_fox_he_came_back_for_an/

There's many things happening in this video. Pay attention to the foxes ears, nose & body language (foxes can sense vibrations with their nose, it's so sensitive). The fact that the Fox is constantly bobbing its head, twitching its ears and scrunching it's nose, not only shows it's enjoying the music, but it also shows how curious about the music it is.

It's also a perfect example of animals forming schemas and behaviorism; The fox sits in a certain spot when the dude starts playing. As the fox gets comfortable and starts to relax around the human and enjoy the music, it starts to get closer to him and walk around him, even putting it's back, to the human's back at one point. Wild animals do not give you their back; that could mean their death (so either it really liked the music, or this isn't the first time this happened and the Fox has come to visit them before).

The truly telling thing that fox does, that shows it's forming a schema in it's head and enjoys the music, is when the music ends, note it goes back to the same exact spot where it was when the music started, and sits down like it did the first time (almost as if it thinks being in the spot, and sitting there was what made the music happen. The fox is thinking "If I sit here, the music will start again, as it started when I sat here before). It may sound like nonsense, but really, look it up. Intelligent animals are able to form schemas and plans, they're curious and do think, and they also do think in terms of "I". So they have awareness of self. "if I do this, then this happens". That's what the fox is doing when the music ends and it makes a circle going to the exact spot it was in when the music started.

But there are people with no inner monologue who can speak, any idea on what's the deal with?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u69YSh-cFXY

This isn't a new human behavior, but it's only starting to get a lot of attention now. It's still being studied. The above video is from a doctor, interviewing a young woman who has that "problem" (if you call it a problem, it seems like she's coasting through life 2 me lol, no depression, no suicidal ideation, no worrying about the future). There are theories about this. I've read a few reliable research studies (from recognized and respected institutions/journals) that were peer-reviewed, that actually theorize this is a type/or symptom of being very high functioning, on the autism spectrum. They can function better than a lot of "normal people", and are usually intelligent and productive to boot.

These people also actually have a lot in common with APD (like the lack of empathy) - but it doesn't come from a nefarious or manipulative or "idgaf" place - those thoughts ("I can relate to that, putting myself in their shoes and pretending to be them, they must be suffering"), just don't come to them.

Honestly, there is not a lot of medical research/info out on this topic right now, but it is being studied and it has become so widespread that the research community has taken note.

[–]wormbloat 7 insightful - 3 fun7 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Countless other species can communicate. Its our ability to build tools that make us powerful

[–]zyxzevn 7 insightful - 3 fun7 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 3 fun -  (2 children)

I think animals work differently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0xYuOAQKts

[–]chottohen 6 insightful - 3 fun6 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

That parrot is smarter than some people I've met. Has its body been occupied by some entity? Also the lighting on Aimee's closeups is genius.

[–][deleted] 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

wtf dude. this is amazing. imma post this up unless you do.*

[–][deleted] 5 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Animals communicate telepathically. Yes, all of them. It's easy to prove: learn animal communication and rejoice in Universal connectedness.

Here, if you are skeptical... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL--zc1KIxk&t=19s

[–]Tiwaking 3 insightful - 4 fun3 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 4 fun -  (1 child)

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

One of the worst-disguised statements of blatant racist hatred of all hollywood. My god those were awful movies.

[–]jet199 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

You ignored the weakness of humans. A human male is a 6th of the strength of a chimp. Humans have to work together because they are too weak to defend themselves on their own.

Secondly humans being able to talk gives them a greater propensity for lying and bullshitting which is a risk other animals don't have to deal with that much.

[–]Questionable 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Three factors, a voice box capable of complex speech, a brain that is slightly larger to create that speech, and third but not least, opposable thumbs for craft a written language to maintain a permanent record of the meaning and usage of words.

[–]jet199 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

The last point is risible seeing as the written word developed thousands of years after speech, full literacy only happening in the last 100 years and many cultures still don't have writing yet speak fine.

[–]Questionable 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

risible

If you are going to call someone laughable, don't hide it behind a thesaurus, and distance it by claiming you are saying it about their stamens and not the person you are directly that insult at. Do it as I would, and say it to their face.

I for example believe you to be a laughing stock(risible) if you think the written language started after speech. See what I did there? I wasn't coy about my insults as you were. Again, I said it directly to you and about you. Now if we are through with the petty insults, I will move back to the topic at hand.

I believe you to be incorrect. The written language didn't start with words or letters, it started in pictograph and evolved from there. Just because someone dated a rock, or a clay tablet doesn't mean humans weren't drawing pictures in the sand, or painting with their own feces on cave walls. In fact, it can be claimed it started in the based of representation, when any human pointed to 3 pieces of food, or objects, and held up 3 fingers to indicate the amount they wished to receive.

And gosh, what did happen once the written language evolved? Society advanced. It advanced to the point, were computers communicate at millions of characters per second on the command of man.

As for what 'some cultures' have achieved in the last 100 years. That's not relevant to the topic at hand. Which amounted to the bulk of your argument, or to say. You made no valid argument.

In addition, I would like to point out that the three factors I have mentioned work in tandem. As if you take out any one element, you end up being a dolphin, or living in mud huts.

Oh, wait you did make a valid point! As without written langue your culture is either that of a primitive, or other mammal, such as an elephant, with only a partially articulate limb. Try it with any example on earth. Remove one of the three elements, I have mentioned for communications, and communications fails to advance.

Ĥ̅͛ǝ̮̺͕̲̰llo ʍoɹlp' I,m Qnǝsʇᴉouɐqlǝ.̬̘̟ͅ

[–]Losferwords 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

We are the only species with a voice box.

[–]Tiwaking 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Losferwords 1 insightful - 0 fun - 4 hours ago We are the only species with a voice box.

/me laughs in African Grey Parrot

[–]According-Junket-885 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Neanderthals probably spoke, but they may have been a sub-species of homo sapiens rather than a different species altogether.