3 hearts...It sounds like cell from dragonball
The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
71–80 of 155 posts
Re: The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
When you're saying "Big brains" I assume you mean a higher level of cognition and awareness in some general sense, not a physically larger brain. First I think you're getting the cause/effect of evolution backwards. For example, primates did not evolve hands so they could better grasp branches, but rather they better grasp branches because they evolved hands and so had a higher rate of survival. So the question isn't…
"primates did not evolve hands so they could better grasp branches, but rather they better grasp branches because they evolved hands and so had a higher rate of survival." We agree that it can be difficult to distinguish causation from correlation, and in this case you may be right that the survival advantage conferred by better grasp of branches might have been a "bonus" or helpful side-effect, rather than an adapti…
I think the distinction being made is between evolution and design. In evolution traits do not come about for a reason, they occur at random, but they persist if they are advantageous.
Re: The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
#73One theory why primates evolved big brains is because they had hands. Big brains for an animal like a gazelle don’t pay off because, without hands, there isn’t much a gazelle can do with that big brain. Better it use that energy for bigger leg muscles. Primates evolves hands so they could better grasp branches, but, once they had hands, there was a lot more they could do with them, like make tools. A bigger brain for…
It should be noted though that intelligence isn't linked to brain size, except for in the case of hominids compared to other hominids. There is also not a direct correlation to increased intelligence and survivability except for competition between individuals.
Corvids are among the most intelligent animals in the world. In many cases far more intelligent than many ape species. Their brains are the size of almonds, at largest. Whale species are intelligent but their brains are incredibly massive. Whales aren't 10-100x more intelligent than humans because of brain mass.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvidae
The intelligence level of Neanderthals is unknown but they had a cranial volume approximately 22% larger than modern humans. The common knowledge is that Neanderthals went extinct because they were stupid and eventually killed off by human invaders. The current evidence is that Neanderthals and humans overlapped in Europe for roughly 5000 years and heavily interbred with humans. The most likely cause of extinction had nothing to do with intelligence. They likely died off because the evidence indicates they were less social and reproduced less frequently. If anything they may have been comparatively too smart for their own good.
Re: The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
#74How much of an impediment to technological progress would not have being able to tame fire have been? You probably don't need the warmth underwater, but cooking facilitates nutrient absorption ("exodigestion"?), wards off predators, post-sunset light, and (later) smithing, smelting, steam power etc.
I think the lack of thrown weapons would be more basic than fire. Maybe even held weapons for striking enemies. You can't swing a club underwater due to water resistance, and spears are hard to use well because you don't have feet planted to transmit the force, so you just go backwards if you try to stab something. Not to mention the lack of trees and branches with straight poles. Meanwhile stone tools and weapons ar…
You could fire projectiles, like a blow gun. A poison-tipped dart could be made to work underwater.
Re: The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
#75One theory why primates evolved big brains is because they had hands. Big brains for an animal like a gazelle don’t pay off because, without hands, there isn’t much a gazelle can do with that big brain. Better it use that energy for bigger leg muscles. Primates evolves hands so they could better grasp branches, but, once they had hands, there was a lot more they could do with them, like make tools. A bigger brain for…
What about birds? Crows display surprisingly intelligent behaviour, like understanding water displacement or fashioning tools from sticks or wire.
Re: The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
#76Re: The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
#77Re: The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
#78One theory why primates evolved big brains is because they had hands. Big brains for an animal like a gazelle don’t pay off because, without hands, there isn’t much a gazelle can do with that big brain. Better it use that energy for bigger leg muscles. Primates evolves hands so they could better grasp branches, but, once they had hands, there was a lot more they could do with them, like make tools. A bigger brain for…
So why aren't all birds as smart as crows? They have similar anatomy.
Re: The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
I imagine the difference is that hermit crabs are exhibiting a rote, inborn behavior that is universal among the species. Cephalopods apparently figure this stuff out on the fly.
This, the octopus is choosing its shelter based of fluid reasoning, while the arthropods are doing it in a reflexive instinctual manner.
I honestly don't see where the distinction is. What do you call fluid reasoning? As the article says, cephalopods' ancestors used to have shells, like snails. Finding a replacement when it is available seems pretty instinctual to me, if only as a vestigial behavior.
Re: The Octopus Is Smart as Heck, But Why?
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not that spiders sre necessarily unintelligent: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portia_(spider)#Intelligence
I didn't mean to imply that. Indeed, Portia! So if you love Portia, I recommend Peter Watts' Echopraxia and (for a full-length focus) Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time .
For spider intelligence and an absoutely brilliant science-fiction novel, try Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25499718-children-of-tim...
This book really made me realise (once again) how strange and wonderful good science-fiction can be.