Irene Pepperberg -- Alex and Me
January 17, 2021 2:55 PM Subscribe
Irene Pepperberg -- Alex and Me
Aa a topic, Alex the gray Parrot has been posted about before general by myself and others over the years; in particular linked in passing by fizzix's post devoted to the Moth itselves, this talk by Irene Pepperberg reveals in great depth and detail what a great mind resided in the walnut sized brain of Alex the Gray Parrot and, hence, is well worth a watch and a listen on its own.
Aa a topic, Alex the gray Parrot has been posted about before general by myself and others over the years; in particular linked in passing by fizzix's post devoted to the Moth itselves, this talk by Irene Pepperberg reveals in great depth and detail what a great mind resided in the walnut sized brain of Alex the Gray Parrot and, hence, is well worth a watch and a listen on its own.
"I am sorry, come here-orange." Alex
posted by Oyéah at 7:37 PM on January 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Oyéah at 7:37 PM on January 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
I thought there was maybe some skepticism about Alex.
Indeed, there was. Chomsky, for one, is mentioned, and our own languagehat, for another, speaks in the previous threads on the topic of Alex. I myself am not entirely of a fixed opinion and at the same time am all too profoundly aware that I want to believe.
But my own interactions with crows, jays and hummingbirds among others have made me aware of how bright birds are and that they can be, nay, are at least as bright and selfy as the so-called higher mammals.
"I am sorry, come here-orange." Alex
And feelings enter into the discussion as well. Which was what struck me when I heard this talk replayed on The Moth today. The story of Want a nut was even more mind blowing than I realized and Irene Pepperberg's summation left me misty eyed.
posted by y2karl at 8:28 PM on January 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
Indeed, there was. Chomsky, for one, is mentioned, and our own languagehat, for another, speaks in the previous threads on the topic of Alex. I myself am not entirely of a fixed opinion and at the same time am all too profoundly aware that I want to believe.
But my own interactions with crows, jays and hummingbirds among others have made me aware of how bright birds are and that they can be, nay, are at least as bright and selfy as the so-called higher mammals.
"I am sorry, come here-orange." Alex
And feelings enter into the discussion as well. Which was what struck me when I heard this talk replayed on The Moth today. The story of Want a nut was even more mind blowing than I realized and Irene Pepperberg's summation left me misty eyed.
posted by y2karl at 8:28 PM on January 17, 2021 [1 favorite]
...and our own languagehat, for another, speaks in the previous threads on the topic of Alex.
Oops, he did not-- he was mentioned in a now broken link at the University of Bangor. But he has opined on the topic in the past.
posted by y2karl at 10:07 PM on January 17, 2021
Oops, he did not-- he was mentioned in a now broken link at the University of Bangor. But he has opined on the topic in the past.
posted by y2karl at 10:07 PM on January 17, 2021
I don't see languagehat anywhere in that Language Log post you link to, y2karl.
posted by inexorably_forward at 2:06 AM on January 18, 2021
posted by inexorably_forward at 2:06 AM on January 18, 2021
Oops, my bad, put up the wrong blog! Here he is. Geoffrey K. Pullum was functioning as his stunt double at Language Log. (N'kisi, by the way, is another African Gray reputed to have a vocabulary of 950 words. Alex only knew 150 or so.)
posted by y2karl at 2:23 AM on January 18, 2021
posted by y2karl at 2:23 AM on January 18, 2021
As for Rupert Sheldrake's animal telepathy project in regards to N'Kisi, it's a bit too Coast to Coast with George Noory hinky for me.
posted by y2karl at 2:37 AM on January 18, 2021
posted by y2karl at 2:37 AM on January 18, 2021
I love parrots, but I am really, really not a fan of Irene Pepperberg. I don't think she should receive any further attention for her bad science and her prolonged isolating (torture) of a sentient and extremely social flock animal.
posted by Flock of Cynthiabirds at 3:14 AM on January 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Flock of Cynthiabirds at 3:14 AM on January 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
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