Jeremy Narby - Intelligence in Nature | Bioneers

Summary

In this speech, an anthropologist recounts his experiences with indigenous Amazonian shamans and their unique understanding of intelligence in nature. He shares a humorous story about a transformative encounter with a tobacco shaman and delves into scientific research that supports the idea of intelligence in non-human entities, from animals to plants and even slime molds. The speech challenges Western concepts of intelligence, emphasizing the need for humans to learn from nature, respect other species, and evolve into responsible predators who contribute to a balanced, intelligent ecosystem.

Takeaways

• 🌿 The speaker begins by sharing an anecdote about meeting a tobacco shaman in the Peruvian Amazon, highlighting the humor and cultural differences in the exchange.
• 🐾 During this encounter, after consuming some strong tobacco paste, the speaker had a vivid experience of turning into a feline, reflecting the power of indigenous plant knowledge.
• 🧠 The speaker discusses how Amazonian cultures believe in the intelligence of plants and animals, whereas Western science traditionally denies this, treating living beings as mechanical entities.
• 🔬 Over two decades, the speaker sought to find common ground between Western science and indigenous knowledge, with recent evidence supporting intelligence in nature.
• 🐝 Scientific research has shown that bees, despite their small brains, can handle abstract concepts like sameness and difference, proving they possess decision-making abilities.
• 🌳 Research on plant intelligence has revealed that plants make decisions, communicate through molecular and electrical signals, and even exhibit behavior like the walking Amazonian stilt palm.
• 🍃 The concept of intelligence is often defined in human terms, limiting its application to other species, but new scientific findings challenge these definitions.
• 🦠 In Japan, researchers showed that single-celled slime molds can solve mazes, further blurring the boundaries between intelligence in different life forms.
• 🐆 The speaker draws connections between human and animal intelligence, suggesting that humans, as top predators, have a responsibility to mediate their impact on other species.
• 🌍 The talk emphasizes that nature is full of intelligence, challenging the mechanistic views of the past, and highlights the need for humans to evolve intelligently by respecting the interconnectedness of all life forms.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial experience with the Asháninkan tobacco shaman?

The speaker accompanied a tobacco shaman to visit his old teacher, an 80-year-old man, who humorously asked the speaker if he was his father-in-law, despite the speaker being much younger.

How did the speaker react to the old man's joke about being his father-in-law?

The speaker played along with the joke and answered 'Yes' each time, even though the question was repeated multiple times.

What unusual experience did the speaker have after consuming the shaman's tobacco paste?

The speaker felt as if he was turning into a feline, sensing sharp teeth and cat-like whiskers. Despite being a vegetarian, he developed a taste for blood.

What perspective do Amazonian people have regarding plants and animals?

Amazonian people believe that plants and animals have intentions and that shamans communicate with other species through visions and dreams.

How has Western science changed its perspective on intelligence in nature?

Western science has started to recognize intelligence in nature, such as slime molds solving mazes and plants making complex decisions, moving away from the idea that only humans possess intelligence.

What experiment did Martin Giurfa conduct with bees, and what did it prove?

Giurfa and his colleagues trained bees using a Y-shaped maze where bees learned to associate specific symbols with rewards. This experiment proved that bees can handle abstract concepts like sameness and difference.

What did biologist Anthony Trewavas propose about plant intelligence?

Trewavas proposed that plants have intentions, make decisions, and can communicate through molecular and electrical signals, which is similar to how neurons work in animals.

What is the significance of the Amazonian stilt palm in relation to plant intelligence?

The Amazonian stilt palm demonstrates plant intelligence by 'walking' to search for sunlight, growing new roots on the sunny side while letting those in the shade die off, a clear sign of decision-making in plants.

How did cultural differences impact reactions to the slime mold experiment in Japan?

Western media focused on whether slime mold behavior constituted intelligence, while Japanese media were more interested in the details of the maze-solving process, reflecting cultural differences in understanding intelligence.

What lesson does the speaker suggest we learn from shamans about human predation?

The speaker suggests that human predation requires mediation, and that we should view it as a revitalizing exchange with nature, respecting the intelligence of other species.