this post was submitted on 31 Dec 2025
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That... seems wrong.
To be fair I think they meant "most accoustically complex language" which is different from like human languages (which have a degree of nonverbal complexity and ideation clearly beyond whales)
Tonal Languages have entered the chat
Good luck producing super sonic frequencies. These whales seem to have sonar as factory default equipment.
How so? (I'm assuming OOP is using the common definition of "animal" to exclude humans.)
They didn't use the common definition, they specified the animal kingdom. That definitely includes humans.
We like to think we aren’t animals. You’re attaching meaning to a combination of words that is far too common to guarantee any kind of single definition.
People don’t like to think they’re animals. Call it whatever you like, in a context like this they almost certainly do not mean to include humans. And heck, do either of us actually know enough about sperm whale communication to say it ain’t? I’m sure Korea’s twelve levels of politeness probably has them beat, but still.
Ooooo yeah baby, um ackshully a little harder
OK but no-one knows for certain.
I think they left out a descriptor for the type of complexity which when we're talking about "measures of complexity" is an important detail. I'm guessing they mean accoustic complexity which is used to categorize things like birdsongs.
Humans are the divine chosen beings of true agency plopped onto the earth to bear witness, waiting to return to the source of our divinity, not filthy lowly animals