ARE COCKROACHES MORE INTELLIGENT THAN US?

rn

Poor Rona Ambrose, who just followed Mr. Harper’s order. He at last seems to have realized that the environment is the most important issue today. But she got demoted instead. Where is justice? Where is the famous Harper intelligence? Or is he just a puppy dog of industries, just like the scientists who prostitute themselves to deny global warming? I should hope not.

rn

Speaking about intelligence, many people believe that human being was created in God’s image, thus we are more intelligent than other forms of life. But reflecting on the way we are killing each other in wars and destroy ourselves by devastating the life-sustaining environment, I wonder if this is the case. Maybe it is just a wishful thinking on our part and created a myth about "Image of God." I will accept that we could be wiser than cockroaches, if we are doing the right thing that enables us to survive as a species longer than those disagreeable insects. When I was visiting Montreal’s insect museum, I was very surprised to find that cockroaches had existed several hundred millions years on this planet, long before and after dinosaurs. How long have we as a species existed in the present form? Not even a few million years. We are not even a hiccup in the history of the universe.

rn

Surely one of the most important measurements of intelligence is an ability to let its owner to survive as long as possible as an individual and as a species. The nineteenth century philosopher Arnold Toynbee said that judging by the way humans were killing each other in wars, over doctrines and wealth, ants and bees had a better chance of survival long after human race disappeared from the earth. True: other forms of life on this planet does not possess our technology. But what is science, technology, or wealth, if it is helping us to annihilate ourselves more efficiently and faster? It is not a sign of intelligence. Is it?

rn

JANUARY 6, 2007