According to Phys.org, experts in evolutionary biology at the University of Adelaide are citing a growing body of evidence to suggest animals may not be less intelligent than humans, just different.
Professor Henneberg of the School of Medical Sciences asserts: “The fact that they may not understand us, while we do not understand them, does not mean our ‘intelligences’ are at different levels, they are just of different kinds. When a foreigner tries to communicate with us using an imperfect, broken version of our language, our impression is that they are not very intelligent. But the reality is quite different.”
Focusing on our relationships with companion animals, Henneberg reminds us that dogs and cats can “communicate to us their demands and make us do things they want.” He notes that we often fail to give the animal world enough credit for complexity, explaining that “animals offer different kinds of intelligences, which have been under-rated due to humans’ fixation on language and technology,” including “social and kinaesthetic intelligence.”
Of course, all animals have the capacity to suffer, and intelligence shouldn’t be a measure of an animal’s right to live free of unnecessary cruelty. The best way to spare all animals, including farmed animals, from lives of pain and deprivation is simply to leave them off your plate.
For more information on transitioning to a humane vegan diet, check out ChooseVeg.com.
