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2 pages/≈550 words
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MLA
Subject:
Literature & Language
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Essay
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English (U.S.)
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Communication and the Connection between Primates

Essay Instructions:

THERE ARE FOUR QUESTIONS FOR THIS WEEK. THE FIRST THREE ARE HERE AT THE BEGINNING AND THE FOURTH IS AT THE END OF THIS DOCUMENT. THESE QUESTIONS WILL COUNT TOWARD YOUR TEST FINAL GRADE (20%).
QUESTIONS 1, 2, AND 3
Is Kanzi using language the way humans do? Give reasons for your answer based on the information in the videos we watched in class and class discussions.
From the videos we watched in class, what are some of the human tasks that Kanzi could do after being asked to do them by his trainers? Which one or two most surprised you?
From the Part 3 video below, what was the “food pulling” experiment and who cooperated better chimps or bonobos? (Note that these are juvenile chimps, as can be seen by their facial coloring.)
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=uYWSXRUGxDQ&list=RDjKauXrp9dl4&index=9 (Links to an external site.)
Skunk Bear video from NPR 7.42 minutes
Ape Genius a NOVA video
I usually show this video in class using a DVD I own but since that is not possible this semester, we have to watch it in pieces from videos uploaded to YouTube. Unfortunately the visual quality is not great but it is OK for our present learning purposes.
Part 1
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=R1Q_NaTJwkc&list=PLhcmMO-PdQLbsQkk_TmsvPEQdT0DQk9m_&index=4 (Links to an external site.)
9 minutes
Part 2
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=xSmRNyhm0zk (Links to an external site.)
6 ½ minutes
Part 3
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=wp6PGAF75Uo (Links to an external site.)
10 ½ minutes
Part 4 The only one I could find for this section of the video has Greek subtitles!
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=WUgjdlZ-hgA (Links to an external site.)
10 minutes long but just watch the first 3 minutes, most of which have to do with testing how long human children can resist taking a treat. The longer each child could wait, the more candy they would get in the end.
Part 5
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=LzxRbJHoevA (Links to an external site.)
8:15 What were the different reactions of the human children and the chimps when the experiment with the treat box was changed from an opaque box to a clear one—who understood that some of the steps to get the treat were unnecessary, the human children or the chimps?
Part 6
https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=dX9LeHByZQQ (Links to an external site.)
6:46 “cooperative communicative cues” between people (and between people and dogs) but not between the other apes?
Question 4: The makers of Ape Genius take the position that the mental skills involved in conscious teaching (rather than in simple imitation), are “uniquely human” compared to the other apes. They call this the “teaching triangle”. What is the “teaching triangle”? Based on the evidence in this video and in others you have watched, especially the videos of Kanzi and his sister Tamuli (the bonobo sibling who was not taught to use a lexigram board) and of Washoe teaching Loulis sign language, do you think the teaching triangle is unique to humans? Support your opinion with at least 100 words (a good sized paragraph).

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Asynchronous Lecture and Assignment
Language has remained the principal method aiding in human communication. The use of language depends on words or sounds structured to facilitate convenient use of speech, gestures, or writing. This essay will delve deeper into the details of language, its use, and its relationship to human behavior. It will also include an analysis of Kanzi, a male bonobo and subject of studies regarding great ape language.
No. The bonobo ape is capable of understanding thousands of words in their speech. He can gossip, talk on the phone and construct sentences; however, it's not the same way a human being would. Kanzi can follow simple instructions and observe the trainers' cues such as gestures, body mannerisms, and facial expressions CITATION JON06 \l 1033 (HAMILTON). However, these commands need to remain simplified as Kanzi lacks the cognitive ability to piece complex parts of language together. While Kanzi can understand commands, he still lacks the awareness to have a normal conversation with a human being. The apes don't use language to express opinions or ask questions as humans do; rather, they try to mimic the trainers to help them obtain food and affection.
Kanzi can select pieces from a lexigram, and while it is more ambiguous than hand gestures, it shows an intentional choice of words from the bonobo. Over the years, Kanzi has mastered thousands of lexigrams and can use them correctly. Therefore, the bonobo has mastered using a piece of technological equipment to aid in achieving his objective. He also understands comman...
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