Re: no dolphine language
CALYK@aol.com
Wed, 28 Oct 1998 15:40:20 EST
In a message dated 10/27/98 6:37:33 PM Central Standard Time,
bostrom@ndirect.co.uk writes:
<< That dolphins don't have abstract language was recently
established in a very elegant experiment. A pool is divided into two
halves by a net. Dolphin A is released into one end of the pool where
there is a mechanism. After a while, the dolphin figures out how to
operate the mechanism which causes dead fish to be released into both
ends of the pool. Then A is transferred to the other end of the pool
and a dolphin B is released into the end of the pool that has the
mechanism. The idea is that if the dolphins had a language, then A
would tell B to operate the mechanism. However, it was found that the
average time for B to operate the mechanism was the same as for A.
>>
Perhaps dolphin A knew dolphin B would figure it out and let him have the
prize of discovery.