Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
-
- Posts: 5621
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2014 7:39 am
Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
All those neurons. The way it thinks. How it handles information. How it feels. The emotions. Could the brain even evolve more?
PhilX
PhilX
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
Evolution knows no bounds.
-
- Posts: 5621
- Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2014 7:39 am
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
Depends on what you mean by evolution.clueless wrote:Evolution knows no bounds.
PhilX
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
Nope. I'll have to go with galaxies. https://www.google.ca/search?q=galaxies ... 00&bih=698
- Hobbes' Choice
- Posts: 8364
- Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:45 am
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
What do you mean evolve "more"?
If you mean could brains get more complex, that is not the same as more evolved. Evolution is not a linear heirachical system.
If the pressures of selection favour less intelligence and less complexity then that is the direction of evolution.
There might even be evidence that evolution is not favouring more intelligence as many smart people choose not to have children at all; whereas stupid people might not have the nounce to choose appropriate contraception.
The brain of the Blue Whale is more complex than the human brain, btw.
If you mean could brains get more complex, that is not the same as more evolved. Evolution is not a linear heirachical system.
If the pressures of selection favour less intelligence and less complexity then that is the direction of evolution.
There might even be evidence that evolution is not favouring more intelligence as many smart people choose not to have children at all; whereas stupid people might not have the nounce to choose appropriate contraception.
The brain of the Blue Whale is more complex than the human brain, btw.
- Hobbes' Choice
- Posts: 8364
- Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:45 am
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
Why?Skip wrote:Nope. I'll have to go with galaxies. https://www.google.ca/search?q=galaxies ... 00&bih=698
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
The development of intelligence may not be fast enough to preempt most of its major side-effect stupidities and contrary to intent, negate itself in the process. The way 'intelligence' operates in humans, it seems forever short changed in catching up to itself.
Intelligence is like a bolus to cure a disease called stupidity only in this case it's going to kill you faster than the disease itself.
Intelligence is like a bolus to cure a disease called stupidity only in this case it's going to kill you faster than the disease itself.
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
Maybe we can settle for regarding the human brain as the most complex thing it can hope to understand.
- Hobbes' Choice
- Posts: 8364
- Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:45 am
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
Who are we kidding?
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
Philosophy Explorer wrote:All those neurons. The way it thinks. How it handles information. How it feels. The emotions. Could the brain even evolve more?
PhilX
Brains and neurons have no causal powers. They cause none of our perceptual experiences, and none of our behaviour, says Prof Donald Hoffman the cognitive scientist.
- attofishpi
- Posts: 10099
- Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 8:10 am
- Location: Orion Spur
- Contact:
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
The Milky Way galaxy is the most complex "object" in the universe known to man.Hobbes' Choice wrote:Why?Skip wrote:Nope. I'll have to go with galaxies. https://www.google.ca/search?q=galaxies ... 00&bih=698
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
Or maybe Laniakea?attofishpi wrote:The Milky Way galaxy is the most complex "object" in the universe known to man.Hobbes' Choice wrote:Why?Skip wrote:Nope. I'll have to go with galaxies. https://www.google.ca/search?q=galaxies ... 00&bih=698
My understanding is that the human brain has the greatest level of complexity in relation to mass.
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
He never said mass. How does Andromeda compare to the flea brain, mass-wise? What are the methods of comparing? And then, too, you'd have to consider mass/volume ratio, or density. No, no, it's just too thorny a problem!
Re: Do you regard the human brain as the most complex object in the universe?
Brains have no consciousness. So nothing in it that could be classified as complex. The word 'complex' is an arbitrary subjective idea.Greta wrote:
My understanding is that the human brain has the greatest level of complexity in relation to mass.
A brain is like a computer, computers don't have consciousness; a brain made of matter is biological computer, it's a natural computer, not artificial.