I think your statements are written in a very confident manner that comes across as trying to win, but this is a nuanced question.

> how can you even claim we are 'intelligent' to begin with?

because I can claim it. You're focusing on semantics and attacking the fact that a set definitions can't be done. I think debating the nature of whether semantics maps to a valid conceptualization is probably not very productive.

> they are clearly not very smart

Maybe in your opinion. They seem to surprise experts. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2120078/Nata...

> The claim is we are the most intelligent

No one in this thread has introduced this notion or tried to debate it.

> probably the only creatures intelligent enough to ponder about death

I would invite you to draw your own conclusions from this video, taken from Spy in the Wild. It shows monkeys processing the death of another monkey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaIH5tLmC8U

> After all, they are 'very smart' according to you

Why the dismissiveness? It comes across as just trying to win rather than having a genuine discussion. The question is a valid thing to contemplate. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10093641/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7471122/