As humans, we have undoubtedly dominated our planet like no other species before us.

However, facing the sobering reality that our own actions could lead to our extinction demands the question: have the very traits that set us apart from other species also paved the way for our self-destruction?

Justin Gregg is an Adjunct Professor at St. Francis Xavier University, a Senior Research Associate with the Dolphin Communication Project, a science writer, and the author of the book “If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal: What Animal Intelligence Reveals About Human Stupidity.”

Justin and Greg discuss the unique features of human intelligence, such as causal inference, awareness of death, or the ability to make long-term plans, as well as its flaws, with our biology primarily focused on the present moment, leading us to make poor decisions for our future.

*unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.*

Episode Quotes:

Is there anything about humans that makes them worse than animals?

26:35: Our biology is focused on the moment. So, when you're telling people how to invest properly, you have to bypass their natural inclination to not save money, to not put money away, like, have it happen automatically from their paycheck. Otherwise, they're not going do it. It's that disconnect between being able to know about the future and not actually doing anything about it and not caring. In some domains, that's a big problem. (27:27) That disconnect between how important the future feels to us and how important the moment feels to us causes all this trouble. And so, for that simple reason, because animals can't think about the future, they're focused on the here and now; they don't get into extinction-level trouble.

Humans are designed to deal with the present, just as animals are.

020:51: Humans can think about and plan for the future, but our brains are like animals designed to deal with the here and now.

The power of causal inference

06:20: Causal inference is something unique to our species that allows us to invent things like science. We can ask why things happen. We can design experiments to figure out whether or not the underlying proposed mechanisms are real or not, and that produces engineering and science and all of the stuff that we have. So, in that sense, It's very powerful.

Distinguishing learned associations

08:00: All of the intelligent behavior we see in other animals can be produced through learned associations, just as it is for you and me when we're going about our daily lives. So, it's hard to know, but you know it when you see it.

Show Links:

Recommended Resources:

Guest Profile:

Faculty Profile at St. Francis Xavier University
Justin Gregg's Website
Justin Gregg on LinkedIn
Justin Gregg on Twitter
Justin Gregg on TED Audio Collective

His Work:

Articles on Psychology Today
If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal: What Animal Intelligence Reveals About Human Stupidity
Are Dolphins Really Smart: The Mammal Behind the Myth

264. Human Intelligence - Curse or Gift? feat. Justin Gregg

unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc