Best Bet for Abstract Intelligence Development in Other Orders

[Praxis101]

Terence Mckenna is kind of a cooky guy, took lots of psychedelics, and postulated that psychoactive chemicals - psilocybin mushroom in particular - played a major role in speeding up man's evolution. I'm not sure how accurate that idea may be, based on evidence, but it's interesting at least.

Are there any critters out there presently consuming psychoactive chemicals?

[joes28]

that was a pretty interesting read on Terrence McKenna.

[tolbiny]

[ QUOTE ]

By some measures, dolphins are considered more intelligent than primates. For example, I've read that other than humans, dolphins are the only other species known to engage in gang rape. Not the most pleasing example, to be sure, but it does demonstrate a sophisticated sense of social intelligence (team goal acquisition, communication, cooperation, etc).

[/ QUOTE ]

Elephants have been know to cover up their dead, and visit bones of deceased relatives (or the place where bones once were) years later. It seems that they have already reached a level of abstract thought.

linky

[Piers]

Just been reading about dolphin tool use

[Jcrew]

Instead of abstract thought, which order would be the first to develop the combustible engine? My guess would be Octopoda.