Evolution does not explain the human brain or does it.

[Bill Angel]

Nuclear weapons, once developed, may function as a means of deterring retaliation via the prospect of mutually assured destruction (MAD). So long as nuclear weapons are not actually used, and as long as the explicit or implicit threat to use them is maintained, they may actually serve to promote the survival of a nation's people.

What you describe sounds like a good strategy, but it does have dangerous side effects and risks:

The former Soviet republics of Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstanwhere the Soviets based many of their nuclear warheads safely returned their Soviet nuclear weapons to post-communist Russia in the 1990s, but all three countries still have stockpiles of weapons-grade uranium and plutonium. Ukraine and Kazakhstan also have nuclear power plants the byproducts of which cannot be used to make a nuclear bomb but might tempt terrorists trying to make a dirty bomb a regular explosive laced with lower-grade radioactive material.

See http://www.cfr.org/weapons-of-mass-destruction/loose-nukes/p9549 Edited July 11, 2013 by Bill Angel

[StringJunky]

What you describe sounds like a good strategy, but it does have dangerous side effects and risks:

See http://www.cfr.org/weapons-of-mass-destruction/loose-nukes/p9549

 

Whether we like it or not, the principle of MAD has been in effect since the fifties starting with the USSR and USA.

 

 

Nuclear weapons, once developed, may function as a means of deterring retaliation aggression via the prospect of mutually assured destruction (MAD). So long as nuclear weapons are not actually used, and as long as the explicit or implicit threat to use them is maintained, they may actually serve to promote the survival of a nation's people.

 

Small but important correction.

[overtone]

Contraception allows us to return to our normal and evolved state of promiscuity despite having developed means of deflecting the former causes of mortality that kept the resultant population increase in balance.

 

Contraception defuses the need for war, postpones the onslaught of plague and starvation, increases the rewards and reduces the conflicts of social cooperation in large groups, and in general biases natural selection pressure farther toward mutual aid and friendly cooperation - which with the ability to manipulate small objects and throw larger ones is first among the human species's big advantages in this world.

[Delbert]

Nuclear weapons, once developed, may function as a means of deterring retaliation via the prospect of mutually assured destruction (MAD). So long as nuclear weapons are not actually used, and as long as the explicit or implicit threat to use them is maintained, they may actually serve to promote the survival of a nation's people.

Depending what's written in the Letter of Last Resort. And if it's in the negative and the enemy discover its contents and should they be so inclined, all they have to do is get a surprise first strike in.

 

Since almost certainly we couldn't have stopped the discovery of fusion and fission and the subsequent invention of the bomb, with the possible misunderstanding at some future time between adversaries, perhaps our brain is clever enough to self-destruct.

[pippo]

Evolution , looks like its tied in with philosophy. Very relevant, I say. Is man's brain then, the only one capable of practicing philosophy? I believe it so.

[arc]

Evolution does explain human brain. If you want to test it try surviving in the jungle or similar environment without any outside support, and doubtless experience how much your brain will be aching.

 

Far from implying that our brain is bigger than perhaps it might be as a consequence of evolution, it seems to me it's only just big enough.

 

Seem to recall a story about a plane that force landed in a remote part of Australia, whereby after due process of time the survivors got to a point of starvation. Then a local aboriginal, who had been watching the unfolding scenario, came down and rescued them. It seems to me that this story indicates that our brain is not oversized but rather only just big enough, such that the plane crew never had enough collective brain power to work out how to survive. But no doubt because of collective experience by a culmination of enough brains (possibly over several generations), the aboriginal could. In other words to solve such problems of survival or building aircraft, humankind needs an even bigger brain; something we can only achieve by collective effort and experience of many brains.

 

Possibly unlike other creatures we have no natural weapons - sting, venom, claws, suitable teeth and all the other things. So we have to use and evolved something else. That else being a big brain - and even bigger than that, one made of many brains.

 

I have often imagined that first moment when our very early and possibly pre-verbal ancestors became aware of the concept of yesterday, today and tomorrow. I would like to see experiments of some sort, its probably not possible, but to know if an elephant or chimp has any concept of past or present would be to me a defining difference between us and them. Not that they remember what they learned but that it was a place and time in the past.

 

And with man that past/present ability makes way for experiences of regret and hope that could develop into primitive religion and then into philosophy. I have debated whether past/present/future would need to be in place or would it have developed in tandem with language as simply a tool they constructed to communicate more clearly. It would seem to be a natural development in language to refer to, for example, what happened on a hunt, and then extend those "stories" out over years.

 

This to me is possibly the driver of our brain evolution. Those who could communicate and imagine the images in stories and use that information could understand the world around them better and improve their chances to survive. This could be the engine that would progress brain development quickly.

Edited July 12, 2013 by arc

[Delbert]

And with man that past/present ability makes way for experiences of regret and hope that could develop into primitive religion and then into philosophy.

Only if religion and philosophy were necessary or advantageous for survival.

 

If it were perhaps it was an assistance or encouragement to collective decisions. Or for looking somewhere else for inspiration.

[arc]

Only if religion and philosophy were necessary or advantageous for survival.

 

If it were perhaps it was an assistance or encouragement to collective decisions. Or for looking somewhere else for inspiration.

 

I could see it being almost inevitable that once the concept of the past is understandable, a hunter injured for example, would contemplate that traumatic moment and feel the regret of the mistake. He would possibly reexamine the events leading up to the accident searching for a answer to his regret. These experiences would lead to either fear or hope for tomorrow depending on the severity of his wounds and his knowledge of the fate of others with similar injuries.

 

If the injured had been considered one of importance this could be quite traumatic for all those involved. This would likely create fertile grounds for superstition and the need to anticipate the possible dangers lying in wait for them tomorrow. Its an inevitable byproduct of increasing brain size. The increase of imagination that visualizes the stories with increasing complexity would also drive the superstition that would increasingly be included in those stories.

 

Those that can process this flow of information and apply it to survival would likely pass their more advantageous brain and possibly even their cultural "education system" of language and stories on to their offspring. This may not be the standard model of evolution, it is one that has an internal mechanism of an information feedback creating an accelerated development of brain size in human ancestors.

[Bill Angel]

I could see it being almost inevitable that once the concept of the past is understandable, a hunter injured for example, would contemplate that traumatic moment and feel the regret of the mistake. He would possibly reexamine the events leading up to the accident searching for a answer to his regret. These experiences would lead to either fear or hope for tomorrow depending on the severity of his wounds and his knowledge of the fate of others with similar injuries.

 

If the injured had been considered one of importance this could be quite traumatic for all those involved. This would likely create fertile grounds for superstition and the need to anticipate the possible dangers lying in wait for them tomorrow. Its an inevitable byproduct of increasing brain size. The increase of imagination that visualizes the stories with increasing complexity would also drive the superstition that would increasingly be included in those stories.

 

Those that can process this flow of information and apply it to survival would likely pass their more advantageous brain and possibly even their cultural "education system" of language and stories on to their offspring. This may not be the standard model of evolution, it is one that has an internal mechanism of an information feedback creating an accelerated development of brain size in human ancestors.

 

I would agree with your assertions, and would suggest another additional set of circumstances. If a member of a family became injured or ill, knowledge about how treat the injury or illness would be of value in enhancing survival. Both language and memory would be essential in the development of that body of knowledge usually termed "folk medicine", and for passing that knowledge on to other members of the tribe.

[arc]

I would agree with your assertions, and would suggest another additional set of circumstances. If a member of a family became injured or ill, knowledge about how treat the injury or illness would be of value in enhancing survival. Both language and memory would be essential in the development of that body of knowledge usually termed "folk medicine", and for passing that knowledge on to other members of the tribe.

 

Yes I agree, this information revolution of language was extraordinary in its scope. A cultural body of lingually shared trans generational information would be indispensable to our rapidly evolving ancestors. I believe it is analogous to our modern computer driven information revolution. The increasing brain capacity through rapid reproduction cycles would compress many more mutations within a millennia. At what age would the average female first bear a child? I would think it was early, maybe 13-14 years. Total life expectancy could be twice that.

 

I feel this story and imagination dynamic is a nice fit. The imagination that gains insight from the story would also be more inclined for creativity. The tool and clothing development would have a likely connection in this. It surly is not a coincidence that humans seek out entertainment and even education based on story line formats. I think we are wired for this type of information sharing going way back to the beginning of language.

[DiracSea]

The functioning of the human brain changed with the appearance of Homo erectus roughly 1.7 mya. This marked a bifurcation in the procession of brain development whereby cognitive capacities began to develop at ever accelerating rate. It marked the advent of humans using fire, the transition from the older Olduwan tool technology to the then-modern Auchelain technology, to the use of clothing, the loss of body hair, and an entire panoply of changes that really made us human. What do you guys think precipitated that?

[Ophiolite]

Large black pillars?

[iNow]

Large black pillars?

 

You of course mean monoliths...

[DiracSea]

 

You of course mean monoliths...

Such evolved discourse here

[Ophiolite]

Such evolved discourse here

The forum is full of stars.

[Iggy]

The forum is full of stars.

 

My God!

[CramBoom]

About people who have amazing abilities, like human calculators and such. This might have been answered already, sorry if it has

 

Anyway, it's because of strengthened neural pathways. The more something is done, the more you use that specific neural pathway, and the more it is strengthened. Hence the saying, practice makes perfect. They might have done it a few times, and after success or just enjoyment they practised. Some people's neural pathways strengthen more quickly and easily, and this leads to an amazing ability.

 

Everyone has this trait, but everyone is unique in what they excel at.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong XD.