fleetmouse

Why not both? Ia! Cthulhu ftaghn!

But seriously, I don't think there are any examples of animals with that kind of radial symmetry developing anything resembling a neocortex--are there?

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I wonder if, at this stage of human evolution, things like building structures as shelter (as opposed to seeking out caves) and symbolism (in at least the simplest form of scratching out pictures or daubing pigments on walls) are part of our "extended phenotype". In other words, if you could perform the highly unethical experiment of raising children to the age of, say, twelve, without allowing any form of cultural transmission whatsoever, and then strand them on an island (or an isolated river valley that floods once a year in the spring), would they eventually construct dwellings and develop language and writing or at least pictorial representation?

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I certainly don't believe that consciousness or intelligence as we know it is inevitable, but I wonder if, after it arises after a godzillion throws of the dice, it will stick. Would my hypothetical savage stranded children, through their generations, recapitulate the palaeolithic and neolithic stages and eventually emerge into what we would regard as a civilization? Or would they live more like chimps and bonobos, possibly developing physical features to suit a simpler lifestyle--fur, enlarged canines, possibly even prehensile toes?

Anyone ever read Sturgeon's story Microcosmic God? This fella creates an accelerated evolution chamber and speed-evolves an intelligent race that regards him as a god. He has them develop all kinds of nifty technology for him.

Hmmmmm. Do ya think...? Nah, couldn't be.

Yeh. Someone, I forget who, theorized that eventually intelligent species would develop the ability to destroy themselves by constructing nuclear weapons or creating a black hole in a particle accelerator and that's all she wrote folks, which is why we haven't encountered our galactic peers: they've already pushed the button. Think I read that on abcnews.com....

Bleak thought for the day!

BTW, this thing really needs a "preview" button...

L