EX-Z3
ƒ/2.6
5.8 mm
1/200

From the open ocean near Kona.

“Dolphins have a massive new brain area, the paralimbic lobe, that we do not possess. The paralimbic lobe is an outgrowth of the cingulate gyrus, which is known to elaborate social communication and social emotions in all other mammals. Thus, dolphins may have social thoughts and feelings that we can only vaguely imagine.” (Mind Wide Open, p.225.)

27 responses to “Sea Party”

  1. I’ve considered the immensity of space being such that we cannot comprehend it in all that it is, but I had never thought about there being a depth of emotional and social exchange too advanced for us to understand. Fascinating.

  2. dolphins are amazing creatures

  3. Or maybe they’re one evolutionary step more advanced, as in Vonnegut’s _Galapagos_. 😉

  4. Might it be possible to emulate the cetacean cingulate extension technologically, in the network, through software? Sounds like a good idea for a screenplay…

  5. I doubt if I have seen a real one in my life… only in movies. Its a beautiful shot steve.

  6. Dolphins are the most developed species on earth – Can’t wait to spend my next lifetime as one. They are happy they never moved to land – humans are enough trouble from a distance.

  7. Do you really mean what you just wrote, Victor1?

  8. Cool caption for these amazing creatures. They really do sense emotions; between themselves and humans. I have witnessed many testimonies to this. Maybe when I post my shots I can relate some stories with them.

  9. To GustavoG: Absolutely. There’s nothing more common on earth than human life, and its grossly overated. No species has ever reached our level of self and other destruction and still considers itself ‘developed’… if our history is ever discovered after our demise, we’ll be classified as a virus.

    … koyaaniskatsi (from the hopi language), n. 1. crazy life. 2. life in turmoil.

  10. A recent update: "Despite the divergent evolutionary paths of dolphins and primates — and their vastly different brains — both have developed similar high-level cognitive abilities" such as mirror self-recognition.

  11. "Thus, dolphins may have social thoughts and feelings that we can only vaguely imagine."

    This is a point I’ve tried to make to my friends who don’t like the thought that the structure of their brains, completely dictates the thoughts they can think.

    We have a specific neural cluster in our brains that is responsible for recognizing faces. If it is damaged, you could be staring right at your son or wife’s face, and you would not be able to recognize them.

    Yes you could look at one eye, then the nose, then the mouth, and recognize the pieces. But that aggregate feeling of a "face", that all-important gestalt that let’s you recognize someone as Jane, or your brother, or your friend, no.

    It’s like looking at one of those pictures that has an image interwoven between the details. The kind of picture that after staring at it for a while you suddenly see the pattern, and say "ah-ha, I see it now".

    Except in this case, the hidden pattern is a face and the moment of recognition never comes.

    Now that’s scary. But to go back to the original quote: "Thus, dolphins may have social thoughts and feelings that we can only vaguely imagine." It does fill you with a sense of awe and wonder, about the possible amazing complex thoughts that are yet to be experienced, and what they might be like!

  12. right on! A lot depends on the sensory I/O, which can contextually define intelligence.

    Several robotics researchers fundamentally believe that we have to build a robot with a humanoid physical interface to the world if we ever want to create a human-like AI.

    For example, a dog can detect identical twin humans by smell alone. Much of a dog’s brain is devoted to nasal memory (related to their sensory input – a nose close to the ground), so even their “memories" would be difficult for us to relate to, not to mention any higher-order constructs.

    Philosopher poet Hunter S. Thomspon had this all figured out. Watching a boxing match on TV, he blurted from an ether binge: “Kill the body and the head will die.”

    But Morpheus reminds us of the converse: "the body can’t live without the mind." 😉

  13. @Victor1, a virus with the ability to heal and repair not only itself but much more? peace brother:)

  14. yes nicley captured indeed!

    1-2-3

  15. Beautiful shot!
    So long and thanks for all the fish!

    123

  16. i want to go there. excellent colours.

    1-2-3

  17. Terrific image…and great commentary.

    123

  18. very interesting shot, well done.
    123

  19. very nice shot – love the light emanating from above
    BIRD

  20. WOW! Terrific……………..

    This is
    just BRAVO, indeed!

    ——————————————————————————————-
    You are invited to post this image to " The Best: BRAVO, invite only"
    http://www.flickr.com/groups/thebestbravo/

  21. If you’ve been tapping into alternative communications, this is an area we can perhaps explore over the coming months, on the 2008 – "FIRST – THE EARTH!" Photo-ART Competition Exhibition, CAT. #10 – ‘OUT OF THE ORDINARY’, and we’d love to have your photo added to the group pool & EXHIBITION. Entry details – http://www.flickr.com/people/melcir-selfportraits-2006/ . – Mel [Group Admin]

  22. A1-App-FTE-455531011_7dfad6f375_m

    A great image, much admired by Donna62 –,
    a "FIRST – THE EARTH!" member – http://www.flickr.com/groups/first-the-earth/

  23. This is a beautiful photograph and the extra info that accompanies it is really special.

    We used this photo in our article on swimming with dolphins in Cancun – let us know if you’re happy with the attribution.

    everydaydreamholiday.com/2013/01/31/swim-with-dolphins-in…

    Thanks for sharing!

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