Tag: consciousness

Is anything more amazing than the human brain?

The basis of intelligence – Introduction

Ken Piper

Those working on artificial intelligence often think they are close to exceeding the capability of the human brain. Recently, however, those studying the brain have discovered that its capability is much greater than previously thought. Individual neurons have been found to process information internally that was thought to require whole sections of the brain. 1,2,3

Humans like to think that we are the pinnacle of creation. We see ourselves as God’s focus, and our image of God is our own image. We are the center of our own vision of the universe. This despite that we know Earth is not the center of the solar system. The solar system is, in turn, not the center of our galaxy (thank God for that, considering the black holes) and the galaxy is one of billions of galaxies – at least.

Many of us believe that we are the only ones other than God that can reason, or comprehend our own existence. I have been in churches where the object of worship seems to be, not God, but the human intellect.

But, is anything more amazing than the human brain?

The human brain is large and very complex. Those who have mapped its connections have found that it is similarly complex to the mapping of the known universe.

Images credit: (L) Mark Miller, Brandeis University, of a neuron and connections in the brain of a mouse; (R) Virgo Consortium for Cosmological Supercomputer Simulations, of the large-scale structure of the Universe, via visualcomplexity.com and the New York Times.

We know that neurons have electrical impulses that apparently move information within them and that communication between neurons is transmitted chemically. How all that works to do all the processing and storage of information is unknown.

But we can also see that other animals have many of the capabilities that were once thought to be ours alone. Researchers have found that animals with far smaller brains can figure out how to make and use tools. Many have demonstrated compassion for others of their own kind and even others that are not. Are they self-aware? Maybe – several pass the mirror test (they can recognize that the image in the mirror is of themself), including some great apes, porpoises, orcas, an elephant, several species of birds and at least 3 species of ants. 4,5,6

Many animals also have capabilities that we do not have, although we may have in ages past. For example, migrating species know the seasons and where and when to migrate. They are also keenly aware of dangers in their environment, without being taught. This is usually attributed to instinct, whatever that really is. Saying it is instinct really means we don’t know how they know all this. Mammals that herd, birds that flock, and fish in schools seem to be able to think as one in their movements. 7,8

What about animals that have almost no brain, for example insects? Insects demonstrate complex behavior, especially those that are social, like ants and bees. Bees, in particular, are able to communicate complex information, such as where to find food. 9

No brain required?

Even simpler animals with no brain at all can do all the things necessary for survival and procreation. Is God guiding every movement or is something else going on?

Take that question all the way down to one-celled animals. They clearly have no brain; yet they move about purposefully, know what to eat and how to do it. How does a paramecium move its cilia? It has no muscles or nervous system to make them move. Yet they move in synchronicity to allow the beast to move about in search of food and to avoid predators. The most familiar one-celled animal, the amoeba, is a true shape shifter, using that capability for both locomotion and to encapsulate its meals. 10,11 It can even go after creatures larger than itself.

While we are at the cellular level, consider the individual cells within us (and other complex organisms). How do our white blood cells know where to go to battle infections? And how do they get there? How do sperm know how to get to the egg? How does the egg know to let in just one sperm, of the right species, and how to do that? And, back to the brain – how do those individual neurons do the amazing things they do?

Must we limit ourselves to the animal kingdom?

What about plants? They seem to have the ability to adapt to and even control their environment. They also have the ability to communicate, and respond to dangers. No brains here. How do they do it?

Bacteria can actively move about much like one-celled animals. They can sense food (something akin to smell) and actually have memory that helps them know whether they are moving in the right direction to find the food source. 12

Inside the cell

Let’s go sub-cellular. How do chromosomes know how to pair up and which is their corresponding “mate?” When it is time to reproduce through either mitosis or meiosis, which to do and how to do the dance? 13,14 And, who decides which stem cells become what type of cell?

Beyond life?

There is disagreement on whether viruses are living organisms. They do reproduce, but don’t do it by cell division; new viruses are assembled within a host cell. They cannot move about freely, but neither can most plants. They have genes, made from DNA or RNA. 15 Considering their construction, and how they act, I have to go with living. As to whether there is any intelligence or thinking going on, see the above paragraph on chromosomes.

Now to the extreme… What about those things we don’t consider as life – rocks and minerals. Snowflakes have a remarkable symmetry. Snowflakes and other minerals are able to find their corresponding molecules and form crystal structures, some even within “solid” rock. Yes, even solid rock is mostly space (see, “Conceiving the Inconceivable“). But still, they have to find their way. Are they somehow conscious of the presence of others of their own kind?

Back to the question:

“Is anything more amazing than the human brain?” Certainly, it’s not a new question. Consider this quote from Charles Darwin:

“It is certain that there may be extraordinary activity with an extremely small absolute mass of nervous matter; thus the wonderfully diversified instincts, mental powers, and affections of ants are notorious, yet their cerebral ganglia are not so large as the quarter of a small pin’s head. Under this point of view, the brain of an ant is one of the most marvelous atoms of matter in the world, perhaps more so than the brain of man.”
– Charles Darwin, 1871.

This article, an introduction, has mostly been questions. I will delve into some of those questions in subsequent articles.

Meanwhile, to those who think artificial intelligence can compete with the real thing: When computer scientists are able to make something the size of an amoeba or paramecium that can do what they do, then maybe you are onto something.

Similarly, to those who think they can develop sub-cell sized machines that can travel through our bloodstream and fix problems: Do you really think you can compete with the abilities of the white blood cells and other sub-cellular immune systems?

References

  1. Fan, Shelly. “Is the Brain More Powerful Than We Thought? Here Comes the Science,” Singularity Hub, 22 Mar. 2017, https://singularityhub.com/2017/03/22/is-the-brain-more-powerful-than-we-thought-here-comes-the-science/.
  2. Humphries, Mark. “Your Cortex Contains 17 Billion Computers: Neural networks of neural networks,” The Spike, 12 Feb. 2018, https://medium.com/the-spike/your-cortex-contains-17-billion-computers-9034e42d34f2.
  3. Wilson, Clare. “Your brain is like 100 billion mini-computers all working together,” New Scientist, 18 Oct. 2018, https://www.newscientist.com/article/2182987-your-brain-is-like-100-billion-mini-computers-all-working-together/.
  4. Pachniewska, Amanda. “List of Animals That Have Passed the Mirror Test,” Animal Cognition, 15 Apr. 2015, http://www.animalcognition.org/2015/04/15/list-of-animals-that-have-passed-the-mirror-test/.
  5. Wald, Chelsea. “What Do Animals Think They See When They Look in the Mirror?” Slate, 24 Oct. 2014, https://slate.com/technology/2014/10/what-do-animals-see-in-the-mirror-self-recognition-and-social-behavior-video.html.
  6. “Mirror test,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_test.
  7. Winter, Dylan (www.keepturningleft.co.uk ) “Amazing Starlings Murmuration,” YouTube, uploaded by raisingmaggie, 13 Nov. 2010. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eakKfY5aHmY.
  8. “The design of the schooling fish,” 4 June 2015, Hashem.com, https://hashem.com/amazing-facts-about-schooling-fish/.
  9. “What’s the Waggle Dance? And Why Do Honeybees Do It?” YouTube, Smithsonian Channel, 20 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU_KD1enR3Q.
  10. “A dramatic description of amoeba lifestyle,” YouTube, Uploaded by mantismundi 15 Jun. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl5cF-vMoBs.
  11. “Amoeba meets Stentor,” YouTube, Uploaded by KambizMT 13 Oct. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcCvhYmjaXE.
  12. Franklin, Joshua. “On the Hunt: How Bacteria Find Food,” Beacon, 20 Jun. 2018, https://www3.beacon-center.org/blog/2018/06/20/on-the-hunt-how-bacteria-find-food.
  13. “Real Microscopic Mitosis (MRC),” YouTube, Uploaded by Medical Research Community 25 Mar. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L61Gp_d7evo.
  14. “Meiosis,” YouTube, Uploaded by pez073 23 Apr. 2009, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0utf9puEPXs.
  15. “Introduction to viruses,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_viruses.