Sentient octopuses (was: RE: [conculture] Re(2): planets)

Grandsire, C.A. <grandsir@...> wrote:
> Nik Taylor wrote:
> > But, how would sentient marine
> > creatures have much technology?  They couldn't have any fire to smelt
> > metals, for instance.
>
>         That's true. But it doesn't mean that's an obstacle to become sentient,
> or most tribes living today without metals, or humans of the Stone Age
> shouldn't be told sentient. The lack of technology would only mean they
> would have societies like the so-called "primitives", who are not
> primitive at all.
Yes, they could be culturally very complex, even if they don't have
technology. Or technology could be of a different kind, maybe based
on chemistry or genetics. Octopuses could evolve into a species with
the ability to consciously handle elements and compounds at molecular
or atomic level.


--Pablo Flores
  http://www.geocities.com/pablo-david/index.html
  http://www.geocities.com/pablo-david/draseleq.html