Darwin once famously said “there is no fundamental difference between man and the higher mammals in their mental faculties” – he firmly believed that the difference between human and animal intelligence was one of degree and not of kind. To illustrate, he cited various examples which showed that non-human animals had similar cognitive traits, such as curiosity, wonder, long-term memory, the ability to imitate others, to pay attention and to reason. In fact, he stated that any animal that could not learn would be “killed off” by natural selection – thus, only intelligent genes would remain in the gene pool and the overall intelligence of each species would gradually increase over time, as has occurred in human evolution.
Most of us, however, would argue that there is a distinct difference between human and animal intelligence and that human brains are arguably superior. In fact, many believe that humans are the most complex and intelligent animals on earth. For example, no other species matches our ability to use language. We are also believed to be more advanced in the areas of abstract thought, self-awareness and self-expression.
Differences in Human Brains
It is natural to assume that our superior ability in several areas of mental function correlates to distinct characteristics of the human brain that are not evident in other animals, in particular those of our closest evolutionary relatives, the primates. One of the key differences is the size of the human brain – there is ongoing debate over the usefulness of brain size in understanding intelligence as research has not produced any significant evidence of a relationship between brain size and IQ. However, there is some support for the theory that brain enlargement leads to an increase in neuron connections and this is the crucial factor. The number of brain cells actually remains relatively constant across different species but there is significant variation in their degree of interconnection as well as the complexity of the neuron networks.
Therefore, while we don’t have the largest mammalian brain, we do have the largest brain mass relative to body mass. And this is especially pronounced in the neocortext, a region of the brain accounting for 76% of the total mass and involved in consciousness and language. Furthermore, scientists agree that the development of a greater number of folds in the neocortex is a significant step in human brain evolution and intelligence increase. It is logical that the greater number of folds enables a larger surface area for the organisation of complex behaviours. For example, greater folding would lead to an expansion of the prefrontal cortex which in turn leads to an increased capacity to relate internal and external experiences. This translates into an enhanced ability to identify inner feelings and relate them to those of other beings, as well as a greater ability to relate past, present and future and thus lead to the development of ‘anticipation’ and ‘choice’.
Another unique feature of the human brain is the lateralisation of brain function which arises from the division of the cerebrum into 2 halves. The left half controls digital functions such as rational, verbal, analytical and perceptive thinking while the right half controls analogic functions and enables creative thinking. Human brains can combine the two types of functions in order to enable us to execute complex sequences of behaviour, such as those required in language production.
Differences in Human Thinking
The key differences between human and animal cognition arise in four areas:
The ability to recombine different types of knowledge and information to gain new understanding
The ability to generalise apply a “rule” or solution for a known problem to a new and different situation
The ability to create symbolic representations of sensory input and to easily understand them
The ability to detach raw sensory and perceptual input from modes of thought.
In particular, animal intelligence is more like a “laser beam”, applying specific solutions to specific problems whereas human intelligence is more like a “floodlight” which enables us to use our thought processes in innovative ways.
The answer is staring us in the face.
In every species there is a natural progression of evolution.
Slow but steady!
Then there is the us. Driving round in our Range Rover whilst listening to music sent to it via radio waves I still can’t get my head round. Flying rockets to the moon and back while our closest cousins are still covered in hair because they can’t start a fire or make clothes to keep warm. There is nothing of natural about out progression.
It’s on steroids in the whole scheme of things
Crazy thumbs. - 23-Jun-19 @ 10:42 PM
It's a very nice but you should show more information about the brain of animals and human
Krishna - 16-Dec-18 @ 7:28 AM
I can't remember the last time a dolphin, monkey or domestic cat came up with an invention that allowed members of its species to walk on the moon, watch a television that they designed, or come up with a cure for some disease... Maybe in 1 billion billion billion years. Then tell me animals have the "same" intelligence as mankind. Mankind is foolish in his apparent brilliance.
Iloveanimals - 21-Oct-18 @ 12:07 PM
This information was helpful for me. Not only for school project but also helpful for my knowledge thanks
sm - 10-Mar-18 @ 4:34 PM
Jake has given a nice and verified reason.I too think humans are smarter as because in today's world we humans are progressing and not the animals. The consistent development in our brain, body appearance, habits , nature , thinking has made us developed and a part of achievement of today's world. The inf of Jake helped me in school project.
avi - 25-Jan-18 @ 3:08 PM
There are several misconceptions here.
First, the word entelligent is quite misused. No living
creature is more or less entelligent than another creature.
There has to be a specific ability that is strong in that creature.
The size of the brain means that there is a possibility of certain abilities being stronger because theres more neurons. But the one thing you never here them talk about that is very important in the strength of a mental characteristic in the brain is *activity*. You could have a brain as big as you want but if there is not much activity going on in it you will have weak cognitive functioning. Activity level being the drive of mental abilities may sound a bit weird at first but its very true.
For example, in humans the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is responsible for reason and desicion making. Its been shown that people with lower activity here have a weaker ability to reason or think rationally. While people who have a high activity level here are known to make very resonable decisions. In paranoid-sphezophrenics this particular part of the brain is quite underactive which could explain some of there irrational beleives and desicions.
Activity is super important but not talked about that much.
Humans having the biggest brain in body to brain ratio is also a misconception. Tree shrews have the biggest brain relative to there body, making up ten percent of there body weight.
*Most of us, however, would argue that there is a distinct difference between human and animal intelligence and that human brains are arguably superior.*
This one of the worst misconceptions. There are several animal have documented mental abilities that greatly outperform human abilities.
Theres a little known bird, called the clucks nutcracker. It can store large amounts of pinenuts in 2,000 diferent locations in a erea of 100 square miles (ten mile wide square). It can fully memorize around 70 percent of all the locations. Human memory can not come close to this.
Chimpanzees have higher eiditic memory(flash memory) than humans.
A study done in 2004 had six humans and six chimps watch a screen where
the numbers one through ten popped up in random ereas of the screen,
and were than turned into white boxes in a second or less. 5 out of the
six chimps outperformed the humans buy accuratly clicking the numbers
in series and at a much faster rate.
Humans main ability is of course language. All other animals communicate
very good to. Its mostly audible language. But language doesn't need any
strong cognitive abilities, all you need is a part of the brain that maps
out audible words. And we arn't the only animals that have audible language,
dolphins and whales talk to eachother with words, just like we do.
The folds in the human brain happen from a simple process known as buckling.
When a brain is growing its gray matter grows faster than the underlying
white matter. In big brains that are heav
melon - 24-Jun-17 @ 8:01 PM
Animals have language! I am seriously tired of these douchebags saying they do not! How do you think animals find a mate? How do you think animals understand each other? Saying just because you cannot understand animals, they must not have language is like saying just because you cannot understand Chinese, it must not be a language, whoch is VERY offending and stupid!
Calololeben - 12-Jan-17 @ 10:55 PM
yo I find it hard to find this article trustworthy because of the following reasons: no citations to support evidence,
and the grammar is not the best. Overall I would add more citations in order for this article to gain some more respek on it.
YEEEEEEEEET - 8-Dec-16 @ 10:31 PM
I think that humans are smarter than other animals. We are the only ones to discover and make fire, paper, electricity, and more. If animals truly were more intelligent than us, they would have technology and a lot more. Some animals have a language, but we can also write and read. We also have math, science and more. That is why humans are more intelligent than other animals. (There are even more reasons)
Jake - 15-Jan-16 @ 1:54 AM
@Manning. We feel it's quite clear that the article is discussing the difference between human intelligence and 'other' animals' intelligence but thanks for pointing it out.
AboutIntelligence - 3-Sep-14 @ 11:33 AM
We ARE animals...perhaps a better way to have worded the title and article would have been "the differences in the brains of more evolved animals (humans) compared to other animals" or the like.
Manning - 2-Sep-14 @ 1:16 PM
I think that animals are more intelligent than humans.After all, we can't even walk when we're born and animals stand up almost right away.We would never be able to do that.
Sunshine - 27-Aug-14 @ 5:32 PM
i opposed a comment that al animals specis have different voice to share there feeling.... Which nt undersand by other specis... Bt the thiking capacity nd due to lack of powerful neurons they can'n think as man.. Man has change there all charecter like physical, biological, mind by mutation of envornment..so IQ of man will developed by day by day generation... Bt the other animal cant wo it.. So the changes of all behaviour will stop...
chiranjib hazarika - 27-Aug-12 @ 6:41 AM
Hi!
I'm Dinesh employee of Dr. Reddy's!
My answere is that human has a wel known language voice that can share feelings, voice is one of most valueable thing that human has different?
Mintu - 22-Jul-12 @ 5:54 PM
hello, i m chiranjib hazarika ...i m a medical student in assam....In this quesn that 'why humans are more inteligence then other animal'... In this answer my comment was that.... The animal of same specis r biologically in close related to each other but ..why there are difference inteligence or brains IQ. It is a huge difference between man and other higger mammals.. From my own philosophy i can beleve that...'In ancient time or in many milions yr ago mans and animals are same in there specific function and they are close relate to like others mammals.. But from thate time humans are always try to separate from other animals. They leaves in families, they were collected there needs from nature ownself...and they were try to dominate other animal thats the real advange of of mane to change there inteligence. One such a like animal hollow gibon are also leaves in family and close to man in all of physiological and anatomical poperty but they can't develops the changing there intelligence,so they stabilise
chiranjib hazarika.. - 28-May-12 @ 2:25 PM
i always wants to known this question ' why humans are more intelligent then other animal` . There are many question in my mind.. We and animals are in same physiological function , same anatomy but why in neurological difference ? How can brain IQ of every humanity will measure ?
maina - 28-May-12 @ 1:28 PM
It's neocortex not neocortext.
Other than that, this is a very informative article.
