It only takes a few gene tweaks to make a human voice

Batista

Batista

Executive Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
7,909
ɹǝuuᴉM said:
Wait for it. In a decade or two we will have "talking" apes. It is not a question of "if" but rather "when" will it happen. My question is: should such animals be regarded as human? And if not why not?
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2145475-it-only-takes-a-few-gene-tweaks-to-make-a-human-voice/
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We already have talking dogs.That would be cool, but then I would start treating the dog much more like a human and probably allow it to sleep inside.Imagine your dog looked at you through the glass door and said im cold, let me in pls. :(
 
saor

saor

Honorary Master
Joined
Feb 3, 2012
Messages
34,263
ɹǝuuᴉM said:
My question is: should such animals be regarded as human? And if not why not?
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I don't think 'talking' is the attribute that determines how we should treat animals: Chimps might be made to talk, but their brains might still only produce crude sentences about bananas and head-scratching. Octopuses and crows are very clever - do we wait until they can say an intelligible word before we shift them up on the ladder of sentience?

Humans need to learn the trick of recognising intelligence / conscious states etc. in other creatures without waiting for them to do a human thing before we see it. And no - a talking, thinking monkey or octopus wouldn't be human - it would be it's own thing, but he sphere of those beings we treat as equals would expand to include them.
 
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