Can you prove anything to an animal?

Prove to a chicken that 2+2=4? Proof versus programming/training:

It seems obvious that humans have to train animals to learn the communication of 'abstract thought' first, in terms of learning otherwise human constructs of that process, before a chicken {2+2=4?} or a chimp can know any of the answers to arithmetic or animal-adapted sentence structure. {and they sure seem to do well in their given tests}

If that is so, then what should we be learning from our animals {if we haven't already done so}? Is there much to learn?

Avi

Training has NOTHING to do with understanding. One can only train an animal to ASSOCIATE certain behavior with food or other stimuli.

But even when you train an animal to recognize that 2+2=4 - it will FAIL to conclude that 2000+2000=4000. Only to someone who UNDERSTANDS WHY 2+2=4 such a conclusion is obvious.

It doesn't mean that there is nothing to learn from animals. One thing is a telepathic communication. Another is finding out who we are by considering a CONTRAST with animals.

Tom

The strange and interesting part of The Book is the conversation with the Horses who have human heads and had a conversation with Thaoand Michel other friends! Where they animals or part human?

Lothar

They were animals. If you knew the language of dolphins or other intelligent animals you could have a conversation with them too.

Tom