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From: "Raymond J Nawara Jr." <dreck@rahul.net>
Subject: Re: Intelligence
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References: <36srou$sev@newsbf01.news.aol.com> <36t3qa$1u7@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu> <CxCJrp.KHA@rahul.net> <1994Oct13.123456.523@pdms03.ksc.nasa.gov>
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 18:19:38 GMT
Lines: 31

(ert) (Unknown) wrote:
: >Eli Balin (elibalin@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu) wrote:
: >
: >: Intelligence denotes the capacity to adapt the environment to suit 
: >: onesself and to find and create order where none is apparent.
: >
: >That can describe most animals, and some non-animals.
: >
: >(birds build nests, creating order where none is apparent and
: >adapting thier environment to suit thier needs.)

: Is the bird really creating order where none or a lesser amount previously
: existed?  Was not the potential for the bird to create, order as well? In the 
: grand scheme of things, the previous order of the nest components was 
: already ordered in another fashion, but harder for us to understand-we may 
: just not be willing to devote the time to reclassify this alternative order.

Mmm, that is the difference between classification and cration I guess.
It isn't really possible to say that anyone but humans classify, because
the only way to tell is if the classifing organism makes it explicit.
There has been mention that some primates show signs of classification.
Also, since some birds will make nests of specific materials, this can be 
seen as a classification of those materials. (Or not, I'm by no means a 
bird expert)

But if we are looking for a formal definition, the term "create order
where none is apparent" is vague enough that to me it denoted 
building/creating an object, not classification of objects, and should be
more explicit. 
-- 
-- Dreck
