Menu

The First 20 Questions

February 6, 2011 By Collaboration, Facilitation 3 Comments

Researchers working on communication with dolphins came up with this list of 20 questions to ask our ceteacean cousins should we every be able to conduct a conversation with them:

  1. What name does your species call itself?
  2. What is the social structure of your pod? Of your general species?
  3. What species of Cetaceans are able to communicate with each other?
  4. Why do entire pods strand themselves?
  5. Are there environmental changes are that concerning to cetaceans?
  6. What are the most important things that we can do to help you?
  7. Do you have some way of preserving your knowledge, such as an oral tradition and mnemonic devices? If yes, what is the oldest memory or oral tradition that your species has?
  8. Does your species remember living on land?
  9. Do you perceive that your echolocation has an effect on human bodies?
  10. Do dolphins purposefully use their echolocation to affect humans physically, mentally or emotionally?
  11. Why do some dolphins save human lives?
  12. Do Cetaceans believe in a powerful entity that created the world?
  13. Do Cetaceans believe in an Afterlife?
  14. Is there important knowledge about the ocean which you think mankind is unaware of? Will you share that information with us?
  15. What would you like to know about humans that you have not been able to understand?
  16. Our evolutionary science/fossil records show that modern cetaceans evolved long before modern man. Some ancient human texts and several aboriginal creation legends claim that cetaceans have been observing mankind for a very long time and that you have played a role in our development. Is this true?
  17. Are cetaceans in communication with other animals on this planet?
  18. What ocean animals or organisms do you fear? ?
  19. Are cetaceans in communication with life forms beyond this planet?
  20. Does your species know what this planet looks like from space?

Some of these strike me as a little strange.  For example, I think I’d like to know how dolphins think they can help us before I’d like to know if they are chatting with extraterrestrials.  However, it’s an interesting exercise to think about.  You might consider designing one similar to it if you are working with a group of people that is confronting another group for the first time, such as between cultures, or merging organizations or having a large company move into a small community, or even blending families.

(PS…the dolphins might not be as interesting to talk to as we thought they were…)

via SpeakDolphin – The First 20 Questions – From Humanity to the Cetaceans.

3 Comments

  1. Emily says:
    February 6, 2011 at 10:16 pm

    I’ve always found it a bit absurd to assume that other species, especially those in different worlds or even geospheres, would have similar concepts such as “afterlife”, “species”, “space”, etc. I think I’d like to ask:
    ‘Is there anything you’d particularly like to communicate to me?’

    Very interesting exercise for groups, as you say. I think I might use it.

  2. Allister says:
    February 7, 2011 at 9:57 am

    I’m struck with how many questions seem to simply require a yes or no respone. It would be a pretty quick conversation if the answers were all yes and no.

    It may suggest a “scientific” bias of those creating the questions, and their present-day beliefs as to the capability of dolphins to hold conversations. They don’t seem to be able to get past existing beliefs and truly dream of a time when we will converse with dolphins.

    So, for us and our interactions, how stuck are we in our present-day perceptions and assumptions when the situation demands a new way of question-making to get all of us under the ripples, instead of just playing on the ocean’s surface?

    1. Chris Corrigan says:
      February 7, 2011 at 11:06 am

      Perhaps we could ask dolphins how to improve our inquisitiveness about the world.

Comments are closed.