Part 8/10:
Despite the overwhelming evidence of dolphin intelligence, some scientists remain skeptical. Paul Manger, a neuroscientist from South Africa, argues that the size of a dolphin’s brain is primarily for thermoregulation rather than intelligence. He points to behavioral patterns of dolphins in captivity as evidence that their tricks are merely instinctual responses rather than indicators of high intelligence.
While certain arguments suggest dolphins may have been over-idealized, the collective body of research illustrates a complex picture of dolphin cognition that cannot be easily dismissed.