Could any animal develop intelligence?

@SparklyKatie Said

Firstly the question, if humans no longer existed on Earth could another animal evolve to an intelligent state like us? I once saw a hypothetical visualisation of what a humanoid dinosaur might look like and this question has come from that.

I know no intelligent dinosaur evolved throughout their hundreds of millions of years of existence and we've developed amazingly quickly geologically speaking.

But do you think if we were all wiped off the planet some other animal could evolve to our levels of intelligence?

What could it be?

Now this is an evolution/biology question, the first mention from the usual suspects saying 'evolution is false' or mentions of Creation/God I will request it be locked.

@SparklyKatie Said

Firstly the question, if humans no longer existed on Earth could another animal evolve to an intelligent state like us? I once saw a hypothetical visualisation of what a humanoid dinosaur might look like and this question has come from that.

I know no intelligent dinosaur evolved throughout their hundreds of millions of years of existence and we've developed amazingly quickly geologically speaking.

But do you think if we were all wiped off the planet some other animal could evolve to our levels of intelligence?

What could it be?

Now this is an evolution/biology question, the first mention from the usual suspects saying 'evolution is false' or mentions of Creation/God I will request it be locked.

@SparklyKatie Said

Firstly the question, if humans no longer existed on Earth could another animal evolve to an intelligent state like us? I once saw a hypothetical visualisation of what a humanoid dinosaur might look like and this question has come from that.

I know no intelligent dinosaur evolved throughout their hundreds of millions of years of existence and we've developed amazingly quickly geologically speaking.

But do you think if we were all wiped off the planet some other animal could evolve to our levels of intelligence?

What could it be?

Now this is an evolution/biology question, the first mention from the usual suspects saying 'evolution is false' or mentions of Creation/God I will request it be locked.

@Wheezy_Knight Said

I'll start it by speculating that said creature would have to be a prey species rather than a predator. The evolutionary pressure to develop intelligence would be stronger.

I invite an opposite view.

@futilevoice Said

I think it would depend on the conditions of the earth and whether or not mammals would be able to survive in those conditions.
But yes, I don't see why intelligent animals would not evolve after a disaster like extinction. It happened once, it could happen again.

@Wheezy_Knight Said

I'll start it by speculating that said creature would have to be a prey species rather than a predator. The evolutionary pressure to develop intelligence would be stronger.

I invite an opposite view.

@chaski Said

The assumption is that we have "intelligence"... I suppose even within our self destructive nature we are still "intelligent".

My answer. Yes. In time we will be replaced by equal or higher intelligence.

@ThePainefulTruth Said

No, I think so. Teamwork is an especially important catalyst that develops with predators, like Harris Hawks, some dogs, porpii and orcas.

@ThePainefulTruth Said

The diff is self-awareness, and only a few (apes, elephants, maybe porpii) have a primitive form of that. Don't know why we're the only ones to get full fledged treatment, or if others might, whether we're here or not.

@SparklyKatie Said

That's interesting, could you expand what you mean?

@ThePainefulTruth Said

No, I think so. Teamwork is an especially important catalyst that develops with predators, like Harris Hawks, some dogs, porpii and orcas.

@ThePainefulTruth Said

What could be higher than self-awareness...

@SparklyKatie Said

That's interesting, could you expand what you mean?



I wasn't limiting the animals to mammals, other animals could do it too I think.

@futilevoice Said

When I say mammals, I was thinking of our evolutionary chain. There are plenty of intelligent animals on the planet, some even compassionate and empathetic. Elephants, dolphins, chimps, even some birds are quite clever.

But these animals lack the physical structure that would enable them to "subdue" the earth if you will and create the world we see today.
I can't think of any other species with our capacity.