Clever Corvids: BBella's approach (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, March 24, 2016, 14:59 (3166 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: If intelligence is everywhere as dhw states, it is not unreasonable to assume it is part of one united intelligence/consciousness, but each individual using their intelligence still is separated as shown by free will. Oneness yet disparate parts.
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> dhw: I am delighted to hear that at long last you are accepting the idea that individual organisms use their intelligence with some sort of “free will”, or by individual are you only thinking of humans while all our weaverbirds and crows and cuttlefish are mere automatons preprogrammed by the CIA (Central Intelligence Almighty)? I think it is unreasonable to ASSUME that the zillions of intelligences are part of a single mind; that is one possibility among others. - All organisms with a brain are to varying degrees conscious and aware of their surroundings to avoid danger and survive. I was discussing consciousness at the human level. We are different in kind.
 
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> DAVID: The central authority is required to account for the Big Bang and the jumps in evolution (saltation).
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> dhw: Required by whom? There are plenty of scientists and philosophers and other clever people who do not believe a central authority is required to account for the Big Bang (if it happened), or for saltation. - Not a popularity contest. To each his own.