Not that I doubt dolphins and porpoises are intelligent, or that acquiring
victuals and fending off foes are needs as common to dolphins as humans,
just that offhand (and admitedly in the absence of the relevant facts) there
would seem to be equally plausible alternative explanations. Indeed, any
theory would do provided it didn't contradict the observed behavior.
Maybe the sponges are good for cleaning teeth (even dolphins might like
fewer parasites and a brighter smile), perhaps it was merely an amusing
play. Or, more likely, dolphin intelligence is simply not accessible to us
(although I think Lilly came close, particularly when he was on acid) and
their reasons will remain ultimately their own.
Still, if I become reincarnated, that's how I'd like to return. I've seen
some studies that suggest a far larger part of the dolphin brain is engaged
in body imagery and sensory interaction than is the case with humans. The
first time I touched a dolphin's skin it was like an electric shock: not
rubbery blubber but a thrill of contact where the skin seemed to vibrate at
100's of cycles/second. What would it be like to be in that skin, eh? Not
much need to distinguish between cognition and being there.
Achhh! Another digression ...well, never mind (& apologies for the quasi-pun).
Rolfe Windward (Science/Technology Curriculum & Teaching)
e-mail: rwindwar who-is-at ucla.edu _or_ 70014.646@compuserve.com
"There are two equally dangerous extremes: to shut reason out,
and to let nothing else in." -Blaise Pascal