Article Even if we could speak to animals, should we?

[C C]

https://psyche.co/ideas/even-if-we-could...-should-we

EXCERPTS: The human desire to communicate with animals is as old as it is universal. It is woven into Indigenous storytelling traditions and echoed in the Old Testament, where humans lived in perfect harmony with animals in the Garden of Eden. It can be found in modern stories ranging from The Jungle Book to The Story of Doctor Dolittle to Urmel from the Ice Age. Today, that ancient dream might be closer than ever, thanks to rapidly evolving artificial intelligence.

Researchers from the Whale-SETI project used machine-learning technology to communicate with a humpback whale. The team recorded typical humpback whale contact calls – vocalisations used for social connection – and played them underwater via loudspeakers. A 38-year-old female whale named Twain approached, circled the boat, and engaged in a 20-minute exchange, responding to each call with precise timing. She mirrored the turn-taking intervals used by the scientists, suggesting a dynamic and intentional form of communication. We don’t know exactly what she was trying to say – but, in that moment, it felt as if a whale was holding a conversation with us.

This fascinating encounter points towards the potential to engage in multispecies dialogue. AI technologies are used to decode the vocalisation patterns of crows and other social animals, such as whales, elephants and bats. It is increasingly used to uncover the meaning behind their signals, shedding new light on how and what animals communicate. If this technology were ever to be integrated into everyday devices, it might allow curious city dwellers to understand what the birds in the tree next door are so loudly discussing. But, until that day comes, it at least allows scientists to gain a better understanding of these animals.

But should we embrace this possibility? [...] On a practical level, AI could mean improved legal protection and higher welfare standards for animals, as well as significant social changes. ... More ambitiously, AI could foster the type of interspecies democracy proposed by several philosophers over the past 15 years. ... Could AI foster such an interspecies democracy? It would probably be utopian to think so. More realistically, AI could help us make more informed political decisions in the short term...

[...] Yet the use of AI to communicate with animals comes with risks. Animal communication is an incredibly complex phenomenon. ... This raises a troubling possibility: we might end up generating digital animal sounds that seem meaningful to the animals, but without actually knowing what we are saying...

[...] How can we make sure that AI does increase the wellbeing of animals instead of depriving them of a life worth living? A realistic solution is to adopt a code of moral principles that will steer corporations in the right direction. These principles must be specific enough to ensure that important values – such as animal welfare, transparency, accountability and neutrality – are respected. We wish to put forward three principles as a starting point... (MORE - missing details)

[Magical Realist]

“If a lion could speak, we couldn't understand him."--Wittgenstein

[stryder]

I considered this in the early 2000s, at the time I rationalised if you wanted to "talk" to animals (e.g. your pet) it would likely need to have a symbiotic AI applied to them after birth and follow them throughout their life.

(Much unfortunately could be same the said of us Humans.)

Do so wasn't so much about interpreting them as an animal but allowing the AI symbiotic relationship to adapt to learning language.

Humans developed vocal cords in evolution, which is why we speak and that audible language allowed us to develop writing to capture the sounds.

Thus a standard animal with no vocal cords would themselves not be developed enough on their own for full language usage. They might of course recognise certain words which can be used as commands, but being at a fully linguistic capacity has been an evolutionary dead end to them. Using what would likely be cybernetics, could allow them to go beyond there evolutionary stunting.

While it is possible to utilise Ultrasound to interface with their brain (to produce a BCI so no surgery is necessary) It should be considered that their hearing range can pick up on frequencies that us humans can not, so it's therefore possible that ultrasound would increase their anxieties and disturb them.

In any event it comes back to the main point of;
should we really be messing around with evolution or development through the usage of our technological tools?

[Zinjanthropos]

Might have to consider the IQ of the animal. Do we dumb it down? More than likely if people think the animal is communicating with them, the chances are we would facilitate their speech/language to suit us. IOW we will fill in the blanks, put words in their mouths just like parents of autistic kids are apt to do.

Had cats who, once I opened the door to the outside, would often sit on the threshold and take time to decide whether it was worth venturing outside. Once in a while one would look up at me, let out a meow and either exit or come back in. I can easily say the cat was advising me of their next course of action. But it could also have been pissed off or just saying thanks for the look, actually any number of things….maybe.

I’d rather know what the animal is thinking than having it try to express itself to me. Wonder would pigs would say as we lead them up the ramp of the abattoir. Fearful talk? Calling us murderous scum? Some consoling others like everything’s going to be all right? Sounds like gas chamber material. Again, could be any number of things. Need a mind reading machine more than a translator.

Was driving to the golf course with a friend when 3 deer suddenly crossed the road ahead. Fortunately I was able to stop but my buddy said after the close encounter, ‘ Wonder what a deer would say if it had a 15 second spell in its life that enabled it to think and talk like a human? ‘ I figured it might go something like this: “FFS I’m a goddam deer, I’m f**ked. I’m going to die violently one day because I’m food”. Imagine what a rabbit would say?..lol