From: Michael Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Date: Thu Nov 20 1997 - 06:12:20 MST
Twink wrote:
>
>
> I've seen this on TV. It does show that they have a lot of potential. (I
> wonder
> how many humans would pass?:) It would also be exciting to uplift them since
> they are so different from us. I imagine the ideas/experiences they/we could
> share would be fantastic/near-mind-shattering to us/them.
>
> Now the thing to do would be to find out how easy they are to breed, raise,
> and handle. I'm sure out of all the species mentioned thusfar, they will be
> the cheapest/easiest to procure/maintain/uplift.
>
> Also, we probably won't have to worry about meddling preservationist or
> retro-thinker types. In other words, we can meddle in peace.:)
>
> Imagine: we can have a real transhuman project completed in less than a
> decade -- not an armchair fantasy/mutual mental masturbation but the real
> thing.
>
> Cheers!
>
I just saw a show on the Discovery channel on octopi. They showed that
wild octopi are freindly and even gregarious with divers. Squid, however
are rather predatory and only see a diver as another meal to drag down
to the depths. Octopi apparently need to keep their brains segmented so
they can squeeze through tight spots. I think that this is probably the
major stumbling block to their natural evolution toward greater
intelligence. While their coral habitat enabled them to develop
excellent spatial problem solving skills, their need to squeeze through
spaces is an environmental limitation on further brain integration.
Anyone developing greater intelligence in octopi would need to teach
them tool using strategies for fishing to overcome the expected mobility
reduction a larger more integrated brain would entail. Possibly weaving
nets with seaweed. squeezing a big brain through a small space would
probably cause as much brain damage as a heavy weight boxing match.
-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ mailto:retroman@together.net Inventor of the Lorrey Drive MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering ------------------------------------------------------------ How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?
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