Intelligent Animals

[sleuth]

Been reading a lot of Dean Koontz lately. In particular, I read a book called "Watchers" a few weeks ago, and just finished up "Fear Nothing" and "Seize the Night".

The common thread among each of these books is that one or more of the main characters in each is an intelligent animal, one genetically enhanced, that understands language, can read, can communicate (via "sign language", numbers of barks, and scrabble tiles)

After each of these books, which I've enjoyed immensely, I always feel a brief sadness that these characters aren't real.

I wonder if the day will come when animals can be made intelligent. I wonder if Koontz's dark scenarios for the bad things that might come along with it are all that far off.

But how amazing would it be...

Just rambling.

BTW, each of the above are outstanding books.

 

[jazz lady]

Animals are ALREADY intelligent. We (humans) just aren't intelligent ENOUGH yet to be able to communicate with them beyond basic commands.

 

[Sharon]

IMO Fear Nothing sucked so I skipped Seize the night....but I've read everything else by Koontz.

Quite a few have been turned into movies...Intensity, Mr. Murder, Watchers. That's all I can remember right now.

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by Sharon
IMO Fear Nothing sucked so I skipped Seize the night....but I've read everything else by Koontz.

Quite a few have been turned into movies...Intensity, Mr. Murder, Watchers. That's all I can remember right now.

Sharon, you oughta pick up "Seize the Night". IMO Koontz should have simply combined the books, as "Fear Nothing" just sort of left off without really accomplishing anything. "Seize the Night" is where the action gets really hairy!

 

[Sharon]

Originally posted by sleuth14
Sharon, you oughta pick up "Seize the Night". IMO Koontz should have simply combined the books, as "Fear Nothing" just sort of left off without really accomplishing anything. "Seize the Night" is where the action gets really hairy!

Nada, I've got The Face (Koontz) waiting for me when I finish the new Repairman Jack novel (F. Paul Wilson) I just started.

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by jazz lady
Animals are ALREADY intelligent. We (humans) just aren't intelligent ENOUGH yet to be able to communicate with them beyond basic commands.

Well.. the animals aren't yet smart enough to communicate with us beyond tail wags (and other body language), barks, and whines, either.

I anticipate a day when dogs, like the one in Watchers, can actually be taught to read, and write using some sort of mechanical device.

I dunno... :shrug: ...maybe it's just a manifestation of that "yearning" that mankind has to discover that they are not the only intelligent life-forms in the universe, be they dogs or aliens. (Queue Kain)

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by Sharon
Nada, I've got The Face (Koontz) waiting for me when I finish the new Repairman Jack novel (F. Paul Wilson) I just started.

Well, queue it up after The Face!

 

[Sharon]

Originally posted by sleuth14
Well, queue it up after The Face!

I'll wait for the movie unless you let me borrow your copy.

 

[Kain99]

Originally posted by sleuth14
maybe it's just a manifestation of that "yearning" that mankind has to discover that they are not the only intelligent life-forms in the universe, be they dogs or aliens. (Queue Kain)

Congratulations! You just made the obsessed with Kain list!

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by sleuth14
Well.. the animals aren't yet smart enough to communicate with us beyond tail wags (and other body language), barks, and whines, either.

I anticipate a day when dogs, like the one in Watchers, can actually be taught to read, and write using some sort of mechanical device.

They CAN communicate with each other, so it's obvious WE'RE lacking the ability to get through to them. I think someday we will unlock the key and be able to "talk to the animals."

I think it is amazing how their senses are so much more well-developed than ours. I would love to have the ability to sniff all the smells that us humans can't or sense things that us humans don't.

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by Sharon
I'll wait for the movie unless you let me borrow your copy.

Sure... I'll let you borrow it when I get back from Texas (if I still have it, I can't remember if I already sold it to the half-price bookstore in PF)

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by kwillia
Koko the Gorilla was taught to communicate using sign language and she forms her own sentences and clearly communincates what she wants. She even expressed deep sorrow when her kitten got killed.

How long did it take to train her to understand language?
Is she really capable of putting together her own independent thoughts or is she just regurgitating what she has been taught?

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by Sharon
I'll wait for the movie unless you let me borrow your copy.

btw... don't bother watching the movie, "Watchers"...
They couldn't have butchered that book more if they had run over it with a lawn-mower.

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by jazz lady
I think it is amazing how their senses are so much more well-developed than ours. I would love to have the ability to sniff all the smells that us humans can't or sense things that us humans don't.

Don't know that I'd be too keen on the sniffing of the butts though.

So... if they can communicate with each other so well, has there been any proof that they can communicate with other animal species?

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by sleuth14
Don't know that I'd be too keen on the sniffing of the butts though.

It may be easier to sort out the real azzholes that way.

But wouldn't you want to know what females are "friendly to your advances" and such by sniffing the air?

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by jazz lady
It may be easier to sort out the real azzholes that way.

But wouldn't you want to know what females are "friendly to your advances" and such by sniffing the air?

Maybe if I were single.
Now it'd be just too much temptation to handle.