Introducing the brain: general (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, March 04, 2022, 15:54 (783 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: My reason previously given many times is in our brain many very complex pyramidal neurons appeared, requiring God's personal design.

dhw: So although your God can design a mechanism for the autonomous complexification of the brain, he couldn’t have designed a mechanism for very complex complexities.

You still don't understand the need for intense mental activity behind creating complex designs. You don't hand off your play writing to a substitute, as a perfect example.

DAVID: Note design in preparation:
https://www.the-scientist.com/the-literature/termite-brains-anticipate-future-visual-ch...

QUOTES: "Dampwood termites with the potential to leave the colony have larger optic lobes before ever being exposed to different visual environments, an example of predictive brain plasticity.
"The brains of many species, including humans, change as a consequence of the stimuli they encounter throughout life. But in addition to this type of responsive brain plasticity, research in insects has shown that the brain can also shape itself in anticipation of change, a process known as experience-expectant brain plasticity. (DAVID’s bold)

"Drexel University evolutionary ecologist Sean O’Donnell recently identified this plasticity in dampwood termites (Zootermopsis angusticollis and Z. nevadensis), colonial insects that each develop into one of several different castes. Reproductive kings and queens, for example, are the only individuals to leave the nest, and require heightened visual processing capacities to cope with the bright conditions outside. However, not all nymphs with the potential to become kings or queens do, and O’Donnell and his colleagues found evidence that these nymphs still structure their brains in anticipation of light.

dhw: Interesting that in order to demonstrate the unique qualities of the human brain, you draw on insects and on fish (below) to show how you think our brains work. I would guess that the origin of this particular variation is that if new colonies were to be founded, as the article says, it was essential that the founder should be able to cope with brighter conditions when leaving the nest (i.e. the ability first arose in response to a new requirement). Such is the nature of “castes” in termite society that this ability was passed on, just as other abilities were passed on to other castes. Of course this means the brain is plastic, but I don’t see the origin of the ability as being predictive: the ability would have arisen in response to an immediate need. To understand the whole history, we would need fossils of every stage of termite development. I doubt if we’ll find them.

What a weak response. All you have done is insert your bias and refuted the point the author's made. A brain in anticipation of need!

Rewiring memory
Zebra fish

DAVID: we see other of my predictions validated. Simple organisms complexify brains just like our brains do. Complexification in brains was evolved long before humans appeared, destroying dhw's contention that evolution is a disconnected process. Biological processes going back to Archaea support human life. Every twig on the bush of life uses various processes from the past.

dhw: So much for the uniqueness of the human brain. There is no validated prediction here! The whole theory of evolution is based on simpler organisms developing into more complex organisms, and I do not regard the process as being disconnected. Biological processes going back to Archaea have supported EVERY form of life, and not just humans and their food. Yes, every twig uses processes from the past. That does not mean that every single twig was preparation for humans, and was individually designed by your God as “part of the goal of evolving [= designing] humans” plus their food.

Are we discussing how God produced evolution, or not? In my view all of evolution as created by God. What is your view, assuming God is in charge with your theistic cap on?