TED | 为什么说乌鸦的智商高到可怕

演讲精彩片段（节选）欣赏

So we know that there’s lots of crows. We found out they’re really smart and they can teach each other. When all this became clear, I realized the only obvious thing to do is build a vending machine. So that’s what we did. This is a vending machine for crows. And it uses Skinnerian training to shape their behavior over four stages. It’s pretty simple.

好了，现在我们都知道城市里有大量的乌鸦，它们很聪明，还懂得相互间分享生存的秘诀。当我知道这一切以后，我决定要专门为它们做一台自动售货机。并且还做成功了。这就是乌鸦专用自动售货机：我们用斯金纳（操作性条件反射）理论，分四阶段训练法来训练乌鸦。其实也很简单。

Basically, what happens is that we put this out in a field or someplace where there’s lots of crows. We put coins and peanuts all around the base of the machine. Crows eventually come by, eat the peanuts, and get used to the machine being there. Eventually, they eat all the peanuts. Then they see peanuts here on the feeder tray, and hop up and help themselves. Then they leave, the machine spits up more coins and peanuts, and life is dandy if you’re a crow - you can come back anytime and get yourself a peanut.

首先，我们把这样的机器放到田野 或者乌鸦经常出没的地方。 在机器的底部放上一大堆的硬币和花生。 乌鸦来了，吃掉机器上的花生， 并且也习惯了机器的存在。 吃光了地面的花生以后， 它们发现在售货机的出货口那里也有很多花生， 于是就跳到上面，也同样尽享美味。 每一天，那机器上都会放满了硬币和花生。

So when they get really used to that, we move on to the crows coming back. Now they’re used to the sound of the machine; they keep coming back and digging out peanuts from the pile of coins that’s there. When they get really happy about this, we stymie them.

嘿，要是当那样的一只乌鸦也不错哟， 每天都不愁吃的。当它们都习惯这样的生活或，我们继续下一步我们等到乌鸦都习惯于机器的声音，就把花生盖在硬币底下，它们飞过来，掀开硬币，就能吃得到花生，它们也挺开心的。这时，我们决定给它们制造一些困难。

We move to the third stage, where we only give them a coin. Now, like most of us who have gotten used to a good thing, this really pisses them off. So they do what they do in nature when they’re looking for something: sweep things out of the way with their beak. They do that here, and that knocks the coins down the slot. When that happens, they get a peanut. This goes on for some time. The crows learn that all they have to do is show up, wait for the coin to come out, put it in the slot, then get their peanut.

我们开始了第三阶段的训练。只把一枚硬币留在机器上，此时乌鸦飞过来，看到没有食物，自然觉得很泄气——我们人也一样嘛。所以它们出于寻找食物的本能——用它的喙在机器上扫来扫去，不经意的把硬币碰到硬币口里去了，于是它获得了一颗花生。于是它们也学会了，每次都来这里， 只要把机器上的硬币丢到硬币口，就能吃得到花生。

When they’re good and comfortable with that, we move to the final stage, where they show up and nothing happens. This is where we see the difference between crows and other animals. Squirrels, for example, would show up, look for the peanut, go away. Come back, look for the peanut, go away. They do this maybe half a dozen times before they get bored,and then they go off and play in traffic.

当他们对此过程非常熟练及满足以后，我们进入训练的最后一个阶段，它们来到机器旁边，却发现什么也没有。注意，就是这个关键的地方可以看出乌鸦是多么聪明。要是一只松鼠，它来到机器旁，寻找花生，找不到，就走了隔天再来，又是没有，又跑回去。如此反复五六次，它们也就觉得没意思了。

Crows, on the other hand, show up and they try and figure it out. They know this machine has been messing with them through three different stages of behavior.

而乌鸦则不一样，它们要寻找出一个究竟。通过前面三个阶段，并且这样的玩笑越开越大。

They figure there must be more to it. So they poke at it and peck at it. And eventually some crow gets a bright idea: “Hey, there’s lots of coins lying around from the first stage, hops down, picks it up, drops it in the slot, and we’re off to the races. That crow enjoys a temporary monopoly on peanuts, until his friends figure out how to do it, and then there we go.

它们觉得肯定还有更多方式获得花生。它们又是用头撞，又是用嘴咬。偶尔间有一些乌鸦想到了一个绝妙的主意：“嘿，大家还记得地面上放的那一大堆硬币么。或许有用呢？”——于是它们飞过来，衔起硬币，扔进投币孔。它们发现了怎么吃得上花生了！这样的技巧先是为第一批到来的乌鸦所垄断，可慢慢的别的乌鸦也学会了……故事到此为止。

So, what’s significant about this to me isn’t that we can train crows to pick up peanuts. Mind you, there’s 216 million dollars’ worth of change lost every year, but I’m not sure I can depend on that ROI from crows.

从这个故事我们得出结论：我们可以训练乌鸦，让它们通过售货机吃上花生。你知不知道，每一年都有价值2.16亿的硬币丢在大街上。

Instead, I think we should look a little bit larger. I think crows can be trained to do other things. For example, why not train them to pick up garbage after stadium events? Or find expensive components from discarded electronics? Or maybe do search and rescue? The main point of all this for me is, we can find mutually beneficial systems for these species. We can find ways to interact with these other species that doesn’t involve exterminating them, but involves finding an equilibrium with them that’s a useful balance.

嘿，当然，我不是想靠乌鸦来赚钱。我们的眼光可以放远一点：我觉得我们可以训练乌鸦来做其他事。比如，为何不可以通过训练，让乌鸦给体育馆捡垃圾？或者让它们帮助我们从大堆的废弃电子元件里头挑出有用的部件？又或者让它们参与搜救工作？我这个演讲的主要的一个观点是我们可以寻找到一种与此类动物共存的途径，我们能找到与其他族群共处的方式而不仅仅是灭绝它们，我们可以和它们实现共赢。