Can Monkeys Count?

Ecclesiastes 3:21
“Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?”

Listeners will know from our Creation Moments programs that the scientific establishment is firmly convinced that Man evolved from the higher apes millions of years ago. For this reason, rhesus monkeys have long been used not only for pharmaceutical trials but in psychological tests to determine how Man’s intelligence evolved.

Researchers at Duke University, North Carolina, wanted to know if rhesus monkeys could count, and they set up an experiment to find out. Using two television screens, one showed two monkeys vocalizing and the other showed three. However, the audio of each television could be controlled so that in some trials two monkeys could be seen but three voices heard and vice versa. Each one of the 20 test monkeys spent more time watching the matching number of monkeys and voices. The researchers concluded that the rhesus monkeys could tell the difference between the numbers two and three.

They also pointed out that that the monkeys can count small numbers because this ability relates to their social worlds. Yes, and by the same token, Creation Moments would add that some insects can count to hundreds, but none of this means that Man is related to insects or monkeys! Scripture carefully distinguishes between Man and animals. God placed Man over the animals and gave him an eternal soul that is saved by His Son, Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
Father, I thank and praise You that You have made me because You wanted to love me through Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Notes:
Science News, 7/2/05, p. 14, “Monkeys keep track of small numbers.” Photo courtesy of Einar Fredriksen.