If you were to be any animal with human intelligence...

[malikc6]

What would you be? By the way, you have your knowledge and memories as you do now, and the instincts of the animal you have chosen. 

[Vodmeister]

Definitely not a tiger or any other big cat for that matter. Probably a herbivore or a primarily-vegetarian omnivore.

This might sound a bit spineless, but I wouldn't want to kill other animals out of necessity to survive.

[malikc6]

I'd probably be a grizzly bear. I'd constantly be working out by lifting boulders and fighting the air trying to come up with my own martial arts to learn how to fight older/stronger bears. I'd try to be social to, and obviously avoid humans.

[Infinity Blade]

Vodmeister Me neither. In fact, I really don't think I'd want to be any animal that's a member of a currently endangered species still being poached for that matter.

[malikc6]

Yeah who wants to be an animal with a short lifespan and always gets poached? Lions, tigers, etc would be a dangerous choice.

[Deleted]

I'll just say Spinophorosaurus

[malikc6]

Dec 19, 2014 9:18:29 GMT 5 @brolyeuphyfusion said:

I'll just say Spinophorosaurus

You'd be a dinosaur? LOL!

[Deleted]

Dec 19, 2014 9:19:19 GMT 5 malikc6 said:

Dec 19, 2014 9:18:29 GMT 5 @brolyeuphyfusion said:

I'll just say Spinophorosaurus

You'd be a dinosaur? LOL!

Yes! Not much would want to mess with my ~10ish tonnes and my thagomizers

[LeopJag]

Think i would rather be an ape or monkey of some species - omnivorous but can subsist without killing other animals to survive, long lifespan, very dexterous arms, hands and feet with opposable thumbs to manipulate things (can't do that stuff with hooves). my next choice would be a sun bear or american black bear...would like to have a bear's great strength, keen sense of smell, speed and stamina...

[Vodmeister]

Dec 19, 2014 9:19:19 GMT 5 malikc6 said:

Dec 19, 2014 9:18:29 GMT 5 @brolyeuphyfusion said:

I'll just say Spinophorosaurus

You'd be a dinosaur? LOL!

Broly choosing a large animal prior to human domination of this planet is actually a very intelligent choice.

1. Spinophorosaurus existed long, long before humans, so there's no risk of poaching.
2. I doubt a 10 tonne Spinophorosaurus would have much to worry about regarding predators.

I choose to be an African Elephant that lived approximately 10,000 years ago. No serious threat from humans, I doubt anything would want to mess with me, and a long lifespan of 70 years.

[malikc6]

I wouldn't mind killing to survive. Also, as a grizzly bear, I could just steal kills from other predators. I don't have to hunt, but on the other hand, with my intelligence that I have now, I would work out so much and make up my own martial arts. I'd be unstoppable and when I find my mate, I'm passing on another version of me.

IF not a bear, I'd be a grey wolf and do the same thing. I'd become the leader in no time, and make up my own martial arts against other wolves. Best fighter, best hunter, best everything.

[Vodmeister]

Dec 19, 2014 10:46:59 GMT 5 malikc6 said:

I wouldn't mind killing to survive. Also, as a grizzly bear, I could just steal kills from other predators. I don't have to hunt, but on the other hand, with my intelligence that I have now, I would work out so much and make up my own martial arts. I'd be unstoppable and when I find my mate, I'm passing on another version of me.

IF not a bear, I'd be a grey wolf and do the same thing. I'd become the leader in no time, and make up my own martial arts against other wolves. Best fighter, best hunter, best everything.

Excelling in martial arts as a human does not equate to being an advanced fighter when you are trapped in a completely different anatomy. Many of the martial artistic moves and skills that you know would not work if you had the morphology of a wolf or a bear. Remember, neither of these animals have opposable thumbs, and wolves can't effectively grapple with their forequarters.

Intelligence however, would obviously be a factor. Most animals tend to fight with instinct, rage, and emotion rather than through rational reasoning. Humans are capable of calculating ourselves and our opponent in a fight, so this would actually help. On the downside, intelligence can also impair fighting ability. Thinking processes will sometimes slow down reaction time.

Greater intelligence also tends to result in less aggressive behavior:
www.crimetimes.org/95c/w95cp10.htm

Numerous studies link low IQ to violent behavior, delinquency, and adult crime. In fact, as Bruce Bower recently noted in Science News, "Intelligence deficits make up one of the most firmly established characteristics of criminal offenders as a whole." But critics suggest that this may simply mean that high-IQ criminals are more likely to avoid capture.

A new study by Peter Giancola and Amos Zeichner, however, suggests that IQ and aggression are strongly linked even in non-criminal males. The researchers, who tested 30 males between the ages of 18 and 36 years, found "strong inverse correlations between IQ and aggressive behavior under both high and low provocation conditions."

and;


Hence, simply by having human intelligence instead of "typical" animal intelligence, we immediately are confronted with both clear advantages and disadvantages compared to other individuals of the same species.

[Vodmeister]

Dec 19, 2014 10:15:03 GMT 5 LeopJag said:

Think i would rather be an ape or monkey of some species - omnivorous but can subsist without killing other animals to survive, long lifespan, very dexterous arms, hands and feet with opposable thumbs to manipulate things (can't do that stuff with hooves). my next choice would be a sun bear or american black bear...would like to have a bear's great strength, keen sense of smell, speed and stamina...

This is an excellent point, actually. Thinking about it, I too would rather be as dextrous as possible. The advantages of having opposable thumbs are just too great.

Problem is that most primates are not on top of the food chain, and many of them are well below it. The gorilla is just about as close to the top of the food chain as you will get, looking only at primates.

[malikc6]

That's why I would try to come up with my own martial arts because I'd be in a completely different body. I'd probably watch others fight and look for certain weak points to exploit. It would take a while, but with human intelligence on my side, I'd pull it off over time. I think it would go well if I were a wolf rather than a bear. Better agility.

I'd still prefer a bear due to having a longer lifespan. Canines/felines are just too short. If I were one, I'd be dead or really old. If I were a grizzly bear, I'd likely be in my prime. I'm 18.

[theropod]

Is this assuming the animal would have a human brain, and the associated physiological cost? In that case, it would be difficult tto maintain all its physical benefits but at the same time a large brain.

If we're just giving any animal human intelligence, it would be advantageous to choose something that ussually isn't very intelligent, or at least has a small brain, in order to circumvent the payoffs.