Thinking dolphin: Diana Reiss at TEDxSanJoseCA 2012

Explorer of Dolphin Minds

Dr. Diana Reiss is one of the world's leading experts on dolphin intelligence. She is a Professor of Cognitive Psychology at Hunter College and directs a dolphin research program at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Dr. Reiss is a leading rescuer who served as an adviser for the Oscar-winning film, The Cove. In her book, The Dolphin in the Mirror, Dr. Reiss gives us a glimpse of dolphin intelligence that often seems uncannily familiar. Her research is both a scientific revelation and an emotional eye-opener, revealing one of the greatest intelligences on the planet.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, Where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[bestiveeverhad]

She's the real deal. On the whole, what she's saying can be considered established fact. Old news, even.

[purplebekstar77]

I thought that originally too. Look up Diogenes though, he was famous for sleeping in a jar. From Wikip: He used his simple lifestyle and behaviour to criticise the social values and institutions of what he saw as a corrupt society. He declared himself a cosmopolitan.

I am willing to give this 'lady' (nice hint of sexism there) the benefit of the doubt. I think she did know what she was talking about. Of course it ignores the main point of the lecture - dolphins are sentient beings.

[Marceli Firlej]

If so intelligent let them to watch Dolphin TV and movies which we made about them. Also learn human language, bcs everything in a big brain coming from the learning and this need time... .

[SVKmellow]

sorry... monkey can learn *sign-language

[SVKmellow]

Why doesn't someone just invent a language that the dolphins could immitate and translate it through a neural net between human and dolphin? I've seen videos where dolphins understood lots of human gestures so it would be bassically the same. The only difference would be that instead of human gestures, you'd use a sound-wave pattern so that they could respond in the same manner. If monkeys can learn sound-language, this would not be that different.

[Flannagorn]

I think that the greater the brain, the greater the creativity of an individual... and therefore the greater likelihood of deviation. For good, or for bad. Just like humanity!

[Mauricio Rubio]

Don't know about Dolphins but seems that Pinguins are :)

youtube.com/watch?v=qhiG6_83pb­c

[bisdale]

Diogenes did coin the term cosmopolitan but he was not the "greek philosopher in the tub", that was Archimedes. Jeeeeez get your facts right lady.