What do you think a society would be like if another species had developed our level of intelligence?

Question

I think if ants had somehow had the good fortune and enviromental factors to evolve intelligence as developed as ours it would be a monstrous, barbaric, harsh, cruel world. They are awake and working 24 hours a day, they are all slaves to a queen, they have no emotions as such just a hard-wired program, they are constantly at war and their s*x lives leave plenty to be desired. Simarly if we ever land on a planet that has evolved in this manner, our limbs would be severed within seconds and our torso's taken to dungeons under ground. I think we are lucky humans are a relatively harmless species. Or am I just being silly?

Answer 1

An interesting speculation. But they still look like insects and as such would be vulnerable to being stepped on, insect sprays etc. thus thwarting any seious round-table dialogue.



If there was any likelihood of inter-species communication it would only be able to occur if both parties could relate on the same level. Probably not likely as it would end up on human terms.

Answer 2

Itt is kinda silly...humans are dangerous.

Answer 3

Perhaps we are being controlled by an invisible cruel force Why else would there be wars ?

Answer 4

More wars. Even we are only one species that are the most intelligent, we still have wars among ourselves. If there is another species, there must be more wars for sure.

Answer 5

The world was pretty stable till the internal combustion engine was developed and horses made obsolete.All that lovely fertiliser replaced by exhaust gas emmisions. Species have been dying out ever since, the latest being the house sparrow. Natural habitat has given way to housing estates,

6 lane motorways and ring roads.

I defy any other species to cause so much harm in only just over a hundred years....

Yes ants will rise and spiders stoop to conquer, cos nature will have its revenge.

You read it here first and have been warned.

Answer 6

I have to admit that I hadn't looked at things from this point of view - and it is interesting!

Are you so sure that ants don't have 'our intelligence?'  Maybe they know better than we do and are made to work!  h**l, must save them a fortune in Social Security!  They mate when they want to and with whoever they want to - is that much different from humans now?  Constantly at war?  Well, at least they haven't evolved a Parliament - that's got to be a bonus!

If you really take all of what you have said into consideration, you are really only talking about the human race about a hundred years ago!  Torso's down to dungeons!

You are not being silly - you are asking a very real question.

I just hope that we never land on that other planet and managed to keep ours alive!  I don't mean this 'global warming' stuff, either.  We have natural climatic change - do we really think that we are that big that we can change it?

One of the things that we have to learn is to stop keep trying to save dying species.  If a species does not die out then it doesn't make way for the next.  We have to accept that sometimes it is better for them to be gone rather than keep them.

Answer 7

What an idea for a Hollywood blockbuster!  - As long is it wasn't giant spiders that evolved.  - I just imagined a silly picture of a spider in a tie walking to work carrying a briefcase.  lol

Answer 8

Dolphins and fairies have a comparable level of intelligence to humans but they don't go around trying to subjugate the other species and take over the world, so perhaps they're wiser than humans.

Answer 9

Well, if they (under) used it in the same way as us, presumably the same bl***y mess we're in now

Answer 10

Welcome to the MATRIX

Answer 11

It sounds like  "A Bug's Life" has made a great impression on you. Or was it that other ant movie with Stallone?

Dolphins have highly convoluted brains and have been studied in depth. Are they as intelligent as humans? They seem to be at peace with their environment, can handle the sharks when they want to, and even take some time out for mindless fun to play with the silly humans that want to swim with them.

Answer 12

difficult

Answer 13

Sounds like you're describing ancient Egypt, with the Pharaoh as the queen.  It's ironic you cite ants, as they are really the owners of the planet anyway.  Ants have the highest bio-mass on the planet, meaning there are more ants than any other species on earth.  Perhaps ants are controlling us telepathically without our knowledge anyway, proving your theory!