A BRAIN WAVE (GOODBYE)

A week or so ago, on my website Rick Crowe – MyWords365, I wrote a piece called ‘Chimp
in a Class of His Own’. In this, I explored the elements involved in measuring intelligence in
chimpanzees. I have to admit I didn’t explore in too much detail but then that’s my opinion. You
may think I explored too much, others not enough. You decide. Website details below.

(Rest assured, I will be returning to the subject of chimpanzees in the not too distant future but,
for the moment, I will swerve past their world because I know what’s coming and it’s altogether
too gory for a Tuesday.)

Back to the measurement of intelligence. It is only right and proper that man (a generic term, in
case of offence to the ladies) is held as the model for this rigorous scientific study because man
(see above) is unquestionably head and shoulders above any other mammal in this field. (Next in
line, actually, are dolphins but they don’t even get to be on land …. if they are careful.)

Here’s my definition of man (that generic thing again) as I remember it from a big, fat book in
the library at school - ‘a member of a race of erect, biped mammals, with a highly developed
brain, having the powers of articulate speech, abstract reasoning and imagination’.

I considered this in depth for several seconds and immediately fell into a slough of despondency,
the reason for which will soon become apparent. I determined to go for a long walk, the better to
unravel the conundrum that consumed me but, as it was raining heavily, made a cup of cocoa
instead.

You see, any of us reading this scientific tract, are members of that race. (I encourage you to
pause a while to fully grasp the magnitude of this concept.)

Problem solving is the key to determining a level of intelligence. The two main methods that
give an indication of a level of intelligence are ‘trial and error’ and ‘insight’. Imagine a stove on
which there is a pan of water boiling and figure out where you would fit into an experiment to
determine whether there is heat there or thereabouts. Either way, you’d find the answer.

Now to Japan. A 14-strong International Rescue Corps team (a United Nations registered
organization from Scotland) arrived in Tokyo with the full backing of the Japanese Embassy in
London – the IRC mission statement ‘United To Save Life’. But the British Embassy in Tokyo
sent them back to the UK because ‘they didn’t have the right paperwork’.

I promise I will return to the World of Chimpanzees soon. At least you know where you stand
with them. (As far away as possible if you’ve a smidgen of intelligence!)

Rick Crowe – MyWords365 http://mywords365.com