Koko, a talking gorilla (sub.ita) 2/9

(an English translation follows this text)KOKO, UN GORILLA CHE PARLA è uno straordinario documentario che mostra inequivocabilmente che non vi è nessun salto ontologico fra la specie umana e le altre specie viventi, ma una continuità. Ad un gorilla di montagna tuttora vivente - dagli anni 70 in poi è stato insegnato il linguaggio dei gesti dei sordomuti; Koko riesce tramite esso ad esprimere sentimenti, stati danimo, a dire bugie, fare congetture, riferirsi ad avvenimenti del passato ed a proposte per il futuro; riesce in altre parole a comunicare efficacemente ed in maniera continua con una specie diversa dalla sua, lessere umano. Ricombina inoltre i segni imparati in maniera autonoma, forgiando nuove parole e combinazioni di parole per significare nuovi oggetti e nuove realtà, anche esistenziali, in cui si imbatte, fino al punto d insegnarli ad altri Gorilla e perfino agli Scimpanzé. La teoria dellevoluzione, a duecento anni dalla nascita del suo primo fondatore, sottoposta in Italia come nel mondo a continui attacchi in nome della politica teocon-teodem e delle confessioni religiose, trova in questo incredibile esperimento una conferma ed un avvallo; Continuamente vengono fatti attacchi al Darwinismo da ambienti insospettabili e da una delle radio più diffuse in Italia, Radio Maria. Ma Koko rimane una pietra dinciampo: lultimo baluardo dellunicità umana in nome del linguaggio o di pseudo principi extranaturali come anima ed inanimazione, e dicotomie del tutto fittizie quali natura/cultura, naturale/artificiale, essere umano/natura, vengono infrante dallevidenza dei fatti. Levidenza che vi è una continuità assoluta fra specie umana e le altre specie viventi, fra uomo e natura, in termini di capacità, dignità e diritti, e quindi - purtroppo solo in teoria - ciò distrugge lintramontabile paradigma antropocentrico, il paradigma occidentale-biblico (ma purtroppo anche scientifico, a volte) che vede lessere umano al centro della creazione, nato o creato per dominarla in nome della differenza di natura /////////// KOKO, A TALKING GORILLA is an extraordinary documentary that shows unequivocally that there isnt any ontological gap between the human kind and the other living species but theres just a continuity. From Seventies on it has been taught to this gorilla of mountain actually still alive - the language of gestures of deaf-mutes; By the use of this language Koko is able to express her feelings and moods; shes also capable to lie, to make conjectures, to refer to events of the past and to plan for the future; In other words she can communicate effectively and fluency with a different kind from her that is the human being. Besides she recombines the signs she learned autonomously, forging new words and combinations of words in order to identify new objects and new realities (existential ones included) she faces with. After then shes also capable to show and teach that to other Gorillas and even to Chimpanzees. Two hundred years since the birth of its creator Charles Darwin, Evolutionism receives a confirmation and finds a perfect support due to this extraordinary documentary, to break the continual attacks launched in the name of political teocon-teodem and religious confessions, as we can see in Italy and all over the world. Constantly Darwinism is attacked by unexpected voices and by one of the most popular radios in Italy, Radio Maria. But Koko stays as a stone of scandal: she represents the last rampart of the human oneness, ideal still grabbed to the ability of language , to pseudo supernatural element as soul and inanimation or fictitious dichotomies such as nature/culture, natural/artificial, human being/nature. It is superfluous to say that this last weakly chain can be broken easily by the evidence of the facts. Evidence of an absolute continuity existing between human kind and the other living species, between human being and nature, which regards abilities, dignity and rights. Therefore - unfortunately only in the domain of theory - this concept destroys the everlasting paradigm of Anthropocentrism, the western-biblical paradigm, sadly often adopted by scientists, which puts the human being at the center of the Creation, as a creature who has been born in order to dominate it, in name of the difference of nature.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Nature
• Evolutionism
• creationism
• ethology
• philosophy
• intelligent design
• fanatism
• anthropocentrism
• Darwin
• apes
• gorilla
• science
• language
• scimmie
• linguaggio
• natura

[dbertobis]

I also wish to thank for uploading these wonderful videos on Koko's efforts to establish communicaiton with humans. For us it was a study, for her, it was communication, interaction with somebody who could not speak her language. She is the proof that certain animals do have the Solomon's ring. I have seen gorillas in the CAR and gosh they moved me so much. In their eyes there is human's history. And we just destroy them.

[MisanthropeMr]

this experiment is kind of cool but i cant help to see that koko looks so depressed all the time. when will just let animals be animals?

and wtf!!!! gorillas are vegetarian! why are they feeding him hamburgers!?

[RUMELSKIN]

Remarkable Gorilla. I am just hoping that this stays the planet of the humans, not Planet of the Apes. :)

[MisanthropeMr]

this experiment is kind of cool but i cant help to see that koko looks so depressed all the time. when will just let animals be animals?

[xxpowwowbluexx]

This kind of study would be so much more beneficial with Deaf people on the research team as well. I am noticing some things just from watching these videos that could be improved upon with Deaf researchers involved. (I realize this video is rather dated, though, and am not aware of current research here.)

[Razzzzzar]

Odd... I mean, Chimpanzee's will sometimes go hunting. They hunt in a group (all male) they find and kill monkeys, and they eat it. They have also taken human children for food on (not so rare) occasion. But I've NEVER know gorilla's to ever eat meat.

[goodforthemoney]

Koko was great, but why in the world would they give her meat.

[lamagamorgana]

i am amazed that she can do "more"... but i don't wish it on her. It's not really helping her, just amazing us.

[PCForDummies]

animals belong in nature not in a study class,

not in a study class learning nonesense.

[chrishdz1418]

how amazing i love animals and its so weird how we humans evolved tremendously from animals as the most intelligent beings on earth.