Are Dolphins Non-Human People?

"Are Dolphins Non-Human People" was one of the questions raised by scientists and philosophers at the meeting for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (publisher of Science). Yes this sounds a little 'tree huggy' even for me, but, upon reading this latest brief in Science I can see the arguments made. This debate couldn't be anymore topical right now with the incident that happened with Shamu at Seaworld in Florida. If dolphins are to be considered as non-human persons then should we be making them do shows and keeping them in captivity?

The first argument of course is the extreme intelligence of dolphins. They (1) have larger brains than humans, (2) have a brain to body weight ratio greater than great apes, and (3) they are the second most encephalized beings on the planet. Encephalisation is the folding of the brain and increases volume and surface area, which has been shown to correlate with intelligence. But intelligence is just one part of the argument. The neocortex of dolphins is very advanced and allows them to problem solve and be self aware, and even have a form of intellect or rational thought. They also have spindle neurons that are involved in emotions, social cognition, and the ability to sense what others are thinking.

Thomas White, a philosopher at Loyola Marymount University, argues that these characteristics makes the dolphin a person, but a non-human person. They are alive, aware of their environment, have emotions, have distinct personalities, exhibit self control, and treat others with respect or ethical consideration. White argues that dolphins tick off all the boxes of what it is to be human. Research on intelligence is still in it's infancy with a lot to discover. But, based on these ideas can we justify putting dolphins in places like Seaworld for our own amusement?

Grimm, D. (2010). Is a Dolphin a Person? Science, 327 (5969), 1070-1071 DOI: 10.1126/science.327.5969.1070-c