this post was submitted on 23 Jan 2024
461 points (93.7% liked)

Showerthoughts

29698 readers
1185 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

Rules

  1. All posts must be showerthoughts
  2. The entire showerthought must be in the title
  3. Avoid politics
    1. NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out
    2. Political posts often end up being circle jerks (not offering unique perspective) or enflaming (too much work for mods).
    3. Try c/politicaldiscussion, volunteer as a mod here, or start your own community.
  4. Posts must be original/unique
  5. Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct-----

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
vatlark@lemmy.world
forkball@lemmy.world
quinten@lemmy.world
Thekingoflorda@lemmy.world
461
Monkeys given infinite time would probably get carpal tunnel or form a labor union before typing out Shakespeare. (lemmy.world)
submitted 9 months ago by solid_matt@lemmy.world to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
59 comments fedilink hide all child comments
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_ape_language

Definitely appears that there's some kind of soft-cap on what Great Apes outside the human genus are capable of mastering. 10,000 monkeys given an infinite amount of time will be unable to produce a work of Shakespeare primarily because they cannot grasp the ideas of grammar and or symbolic speech.

Even setting aside whether some number of macaques can learn to master the use of a typewriter, there's a real reason to believe they aren't equipped to derive complex and multi-layered vocabulary. Shakespeare is replete with puns and monkeys just don't grasp that kind of language.

[โ€“] gregorum@lemm.ee 3 points 9 months ago

Research into great ape language has involved teaching chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans to communicate with humans and each other using sign language, physical tokens, lexigrams, and imitative human speech. Some primatologists argue that the use of these communication methods indicate primate "language" ability, though this depends on one's definition of language.

Lol on that last sentence (emphasis mine)