Human brains unlikely to evolve into a 'supermind' as price to pay would be too high

University of Warwick ^ | December 7, 2011

[Just another Joe]

Considering that we only use, on average, less than 10% of our brain at present - I don't think we need to increase the brain, we need to increase the utilization of it.

This is what will get us to the next level.

[apillar]

Considering the number of people that voted for Obama, we should be worrying about the human mind devolving not evolving.

[The Cajun]

The evidence suggests that for every gain in cognitive functions, for example better memory, increased attention or improved intelligence, there is a price to pay elsewhere - meaning a highly-evolved "supermind" is the stuff of science fiction.

Sounds like a simple conclusion by simple men.
Part of the *Everything that can be known is known* crowd from the last couple of centuries.......Just saying.

[martin_fierro]

[jmcenanly]

Our dependance on ever smaller networked computers may lead to a different sort of 'super-brain'.

These creatures were introduced in 1989,well before the time when the Internet was what it is now

[Jack Hammer]

Clearly the article is bunk. I’ve got an astronomical IQ and I’m a stud in bed, too. What’s more, I can run a four minute mile and clean and jerk three-fifty.

How’s that!

Uh... waddya mean, you don’t believe me...?

Huh?

Yeah, I’m telling you last summer I swam from Miami to Rio non-stop!

Next spring I’m planning to climb Everest on a pogo stick, then spend the summer filling in the gaps in Einstein’s Unified Field Theory....

[Gothmog]

Gothmog’s “Supermind” says “yawn.”

[Moonman62]

For instance, among individuals with enhanced cognitive abilities- such as savants, people with photographic memories, and even genetically segregated populations of individuals with above average IQ, these individuals often suffer from related disorders, such as autism, debilitating synaesthesia and neural disorders linked with enhanced brain growth.

Mathematical geniuses tend to be flaming liberals, so may be they're on to something.

[Moonman62]

That movie started the Star Trek tradition of the captain getting the good looking girl.

[Rudder]

Predicting evolutionary events is at best foolhardy.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks decimon. The light on the router flashed 47 times while I read the article, it's fascinating. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[Salamander]

*Whew!*

That sure removes a lot of pressure....:)

[Ramius]

I think (curious entrance, given the subject) that since neurons behave at once as a storage device, short or long term, and also as a processor... I can see how there’s a trade-off between more storage space and more processing power.

Seems to me, the way to clear up more neurons for processing capacity is to offload the data storage role to mechanical devices. Some kind of slick interface that lets human memory use “peripheral” storage... Hey... I’d get one.

[decimon]

Seems to me, the way to clear up more neurons for processing capacity is to offload the data storage role to mechanical devices. Some kind of slick interface that lets human memory use “peripheral” storage... Hey... I’d get one.

You'd have your head in the Cloud.

[Ramius]

Not yet. But I’d consider it. :-)

[Bellflower]

The human brain is capable of extremely much more than it does. The trick is to find out how to turn on what we already have. I think we use to be super intelligent but over time our brains have basically shut down and continue to shut down and also degrade because of mutations which really do cause harm rather than build.

The great strides we have made in recent times is due to the accumulation of written knowledge, easily accessed, not an increased ability to think better. If our brains were turned on rather than dumbed down we would be utterly amazed at what we would be capable of doing.

Since man is so incredibly evil and getting more so by the day we can be glad that we have been dumbed down.

[SatinDoll]

They walk among us already, and most of their parents are desperate.

ADHD and ADD kids have brains that keep creating synapses long after others have stopped. The average human male’s brain is complete at age 18 or 19. A male with ADHD or ADD has a brain that does not stop developing until age 22 or up to age 25.

[Smokin' Joe]

At the rate they are going downhill, they're more likely to evolve into mush.

Garbage in, Garbage out....

[Smokin' Joe]

We will be stronger, faster, larger & smarter.

Abundant food supplies do not necessarily necessitate the development of strength, speed, or smarts.

Larger, maybe, but the others do not necessarily follow.

Without competition for the most basic needs, people tend to slack off, and that does not promote development.

[Trillian]

By that logic if I learn how to do an amazing thing today I might forget how to drive tomorrow ;)