Cephalization and Intelligence

[kenneth paul collins]

S. Smith / R. Bourgeois wrote:
> 
> Kenneth,
> 
> Thanks for your feedback.  The only counter argument I can propose is that a
> distributed processing system would be favored by organisms that are often
> damaged.  (Oops, lost another piece there..)
> 
> Your argument about reducing fancy through-the-joint type connections is also a
> convincing argument for packing the sensory organs near the main processing
> center.
> 
> I was trying to distinguish "what has to be" from "gee, look at what happened"
> in terms of body plan design.  Thanks for your help.
> 
> Ray

...it can be demonstrated that the phenomenon of decussation embodies a 
single, extremely-generalized, principle that is more-fundamental than is 
so-called "genetic selection"... and that since decussation does, in fact, 
efficiently embody this principle, decussation constitutes an instance of "what 
has to be"...

...the more-fundamental-than-genetics principle is that, to survive, Life =must= 
climb the gradient that is what's described by 2nd Thermo (WDB2T)... and we see 
that all of Life does exactly this... in bacterial chemotaxis, for 
instance, bacteria follow nutrient concentration gradients by moving their 
flagella in an ordered way, which results in overall motion which climbs nutrient 
concentration gradients, but randomly in the absence of a nutrient gradient... the 
latter results in the manifestation of "random" tumbling motion which "seeks" 
nutrient gradients that can be climbed...

...the phenomenon of decussation, and, indeed, the whole matter of cephalization 
that you have brought up, are a Geometric embodiment of the same fundamental 
principle that has Life always climbing the energy gradient that is WDB2T... in 
this, the neural architecture of our nervous systems is seen to be 
one-and-the-same, and physically-continuous with, the external Physically-Real 
environment... there's nothing "arbitrary" inherent in the design... everything 
has come to be what it is at the beck-and-call of WDB2T...

...upon deep contemplation, this stuff is found to be so awesomely-beautiful that 
it takes one's breath away... 

...your point is at the Heart of all of Life... Cheers, Ray, ken collins



[snip]
______________________________________________
People hate because they fear, and they fear because
they do not understand, and they do not understand 
because hating is less work than understanding.