Freethought & Rationalism Archive

GeoTheo · 09-05-2002, 05:07 PM

Why does the human brain never show up on a list of "bad designs"?

Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ · 09-05-2002, 05:09 PM

It isn't badly desinged--well, the brain isn't. Location, and protection affored to such a vital organ, however, is lacking.

WinAce · 09-05-2002, 05:31 PM

I would argue that it IS an example of design that at least wasn't well-thought-out.

We have advanced pattern recognition and other abilities; however, these same abilities, combined with numerous psychological quirks, make us extremely vulnerable to accepting untestable claims and begetting ultimately irrational beliefs. They can make us 100%, bona fide certified deluded and never even aware of it. Is that disturbing or what?

Moreover, we really have no in-built mechanisms for separating false beliefs from good ones, necessitating methodologies like science that produce consistent results which can be cross-tested by numerous other people with insights that just one person might not have.

Our very smart yet strange mind (as well as the brain it derives from) makes sense in light of evolution... but not really as the 'soul' imparted at some point by an all-powerful, superintelligent designer.

[ September 05, 2002: Message edited by: WinAce ]</p>

pz · 09-05-2002, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GeoTheo:
<strong>Why does the human brain never show up on a list of "bad designs"?</strong>

It does. It's prone to catastrophic failure: witness creationists.

DireStraits · 09-05-2002, 06:15 PM

Why does the human brain never show up on a list of "bad designs"?

DS: Could it be that we know next to nothing about how it works? Even the closest analogy we have yet found, the digital computer, doesn't get us much closer to understanding what is the most complex object in the known universe.

The eye, on the other hand, does have an excellent analog in the camera, and we all know how crummy the "design" of the eye is...

Perfectly consistent with evolutionary theory though, since evolution can only work with what it finds.

DireStraits · 09-05-2002, 06:21 PM

It isn't badly desinged--well, the brain isn't. Location, and protection affored to such a vital organ, however, is lacking.

DS: Really? The brain is by far the best protected organ in the mammalian body. Ot is surrounded by thick bone, and floats in a liquid which cushions it from impact.

As for locatiom, it makes sense to have the most localized sensory apparati at the highest point possible on a creature, and it also makes sense for the organ that interprets stimuli from those apparati to be as close as possible to them.

Doubting Didymus · 09-05-2002, 06:26 PM

Geotheo, you posted recently that you work with the intellectually disabled, yet you are trying to make that point that our brains are perfect?

Something that goes wrong as often as the brain is quite clearly not good design. The reason it does not show up on lists is because it is very complex and the cause of its myriad flaws are not well understood. Bad design lists generally deal with more simple examples, just to get the point across.

DireStraits · 09-05-2002, 06:46 PM

Something that goes wrong as often as the brain is quite clearly not good design.

DS: No defender of design theory I, but I think I am surprised how seldom an object as complex as the brain goes wrong. Mine has never gone wrong except on occasions when I have imbibed too much, and I can't really complain about by brain in those circumstances. I also think it is remarkable how far one can go with disabled cerebral functions. There are many people with very low intelligence that can get by on their own. Even many who suffer from mental illnesses can make it. And that's without medication.

Starboy · 09-05-2002, 07:06 PM

Tell me what it was designed for and perhaps I could determine if it is a good design.

[ September 05, 2002: Message edited by: Starboy ]</p>

wordsmyth · 09-05-2002, 10:32 PM

The brain was designed as insulation for your head and your head is just an elaborate hat rack. So, your head is just to keep your hat warm.

09-05-2002, 05:07 PM	#1
GeoTheo Veteran Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Bemidji Posts: 1,197	Bad design. Why does the human brain never show up on a list of "bad designs"?

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09-05-2002, 05:09 PM	#2
Jesus Tap-Dancin' Christ Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Heaven Posts: 6,980	It isn't badly desinged--well, the brain isn't. Location, and protection affored to such a vital organ, however, is lacking.

09-05-2002, 05:31 PM	#3
WinAce Beloved Deceased Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Carrboro, NC Posts: 1,539	I would argue that it IS an example of design that at least wasn't well-thought-out. We have advanced pattern recognition and other abilities; however, these same abilities, combined with numerous psychological quirks, make us extremely vulnerable to accepting untestable claims and begetting ultimately irrational beliefs. They can make us 100%, bona fide certified deluded and never even aware of it. Is that disturbing or what? Moreover, we really have no in-built mechanisms for separating false beliefs from good ones, necessitating methodologies like science that produce consistent results which can be cross-tested by numerous other people with insights that just one person might not have. Our very smart yet strange mind (as well as the brain it derives from) makes sense in light of evolution... but not really as the 'soul' imparted at some point by an all-powerful, superintelligent designer. [ September 05, 2002: Message edited by: WinAce ]</p>

09-05-2002, 06:15 PM	#5
DireStraits Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 81	Why does the human brain never show up on a list of "bad designs"? DS: Could it be that we know next to nothing about how it works? Even the closest analogy we have yet found, the digital computer, doesn't get us much closer to understanding what is the most complex object in the known universe. The eye, on the other hand, does have an excellent analog in the camera, and we all know how crummy the "design" of the eye is... Perfectly consistent with evolutionary theory though, since evolution can only work with what it finds.

09-05-2002, 06:21 PM	#6
DireStraits Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 81	It isn't badly desinged--well, the brain isn't. Location, and protection affored to such a vital organ, however, is lacking. DS: Really? The brain is by far the best protected organ in the mammalian body. Ot is surrounded by thick bone, and floats in a liquid which cushions it from impact. As for locatiom, it makes sense to have the most localized sensory apparati at the highest point possible on a creature, and it also makes sense for the organ that interprets stimuli from those apparati to be as close as possible to them.

09-05-2002, 06:26 PM	#7
Doubting Didymus Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: East Coast. Australia. Posts: 5,455	Geotheo, you posted recently that you work with the intellectually disabled, yet you are trying to make that point that our brains are perfect? Something that goes wrong as often as the brain is quite clearly not good design. The reason it does not show up on lists is because it is very complex and the cause of its myriad flaws are not well understood. Bad design lists generally deal with more simple examples, just to get the point across.

09-05-2002, 06:46 PM	#8
DireStraits Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 81	Something that goes wrong as often as the brain is quite clearly not good design. DS: No defender of design theory I, but I think I am surprised how seldom an object as complex as the brain goes wrong. Mine has never gone wrong except on occasions when I have imbibed too much, and I can't really complain about by brain in those circumstances. I also think it is remarkable how far one can go with disabled cerebral functions. There are many people with very low intelligence that can get by on their own. Even many who suffer from mental illnesses can make it. And that's without medication.

09-05-2002, 07:06 PM	#9
Starboy Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Tallahassee, FL Reality Adventurer Posts: 5,276	Tell me what it was designed for and perhaps I could determine if it is a good design. [ September 05, 2002: Message edited by: Starboy ]</p>

09-05-2002, 10:32 PM	#10
wordsmyth Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Des Moines, Ia. U.S.A. Posts: 521	The brain was designed as insulation for your head and your head is just an elaborate hat rack. So, your head is just to keep your hat warm.

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