BBC division. It’s hard to believe anyone writes this stuff in the face of overwhelming evidence of the fact. But ideology can blind people to obvious facts. In this case, that’s partly because the “humans are not special” message is a form of virtue signaling that parasitizes conservation issues and, fueled by sentimentality, can withstand the most obvious evidence.
From David Robson at BBC:
The guests lining up outside a Brisbane gallery were not your typical culture vultures; in fact, until recently they’d never seen a painting in their life. But with just a little training, they developed their own artistic taste, showing a clear preference for Picasso’s crystalline constructions or Monet’s dreamy soft focus as they wandered lazily through the different rooms.
It’s little wonder that their talents created such a buzz, considering that they were working with a brain smaller than a pin head: these bona fide art critics were your common or garden honey bees, trained to find a syrupy surprise behind one or other of the artists’ work.
In fact, the ability to recognise artistic style was just the latest in a long list of achievements. More.
So, as usual, the bees were looking for honey and nothing else, certainly not for new theories of art. But much self-indulgent twaddle follows, to the effect that human are not as smart as we think.
Many of us are smarter than to listen patiently to this stuff for much longer. Guffaws suddenly happen.
See also: Animal minds: In search of the minimal self
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