Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
3.5 Cognition and Biological Evolution
Despite the most optimistic efforts of scientists, cognitive skills,
including intelligence, memory and creativity, remain scientific
mysteries and have resisted being squashed into theoretical boxes.
Some artificial intelligence (AI) proponents have bravely suggested
implantinglumpedcircuitmemorychipsintohumanbrainsasaway
forward—that humans will soon become cyborgs, a presumptuous
improvement on nature. Such fixes are at best simple solutions to
complex problems. That said, AI is a valid means of making the
simple, tedious tasks of life such as vacuum cleaning and driving
easier and less onerous for humans. With a realisation of the
immensity of the subject (Figs. 3.12 and 3.13), we carefully turn to
questionssurrounding cognition.
Why is intelligence such a recent evolutionary feature? Similarly,
why are single-celled organisms and early forms of life apparently
devoid of the intelligence we see in humans and primates? While
cognitive skills, including problem solving, memory recall, social
skills and language, can be seen in birds, mammals and marine
species, the more cognitively able correspond to the more recent
evolutionary genera, with hominids and humans at the top of the
tree. From the previous discussion on the correspondence between
the solar system and galactic evolution and biological evolution, we
might ask what it is in the cosmological record that gives mankind
this advantage. Cognition therefore appears linked to our biological
structure. So what is different structurally between early forms of
lifeandhumans?Atthenextlevelofgravitationhigherthangalaxies,
SFT indicates matter forms toroidal structures. Such cosmological
structures do appear to exist as diffuse 'strings' of galactic matter.
We note that the brain itself is a diffuse organ but not particularly
in the shape of a toroid. However, this might not be the place to
look for toroidal-shaped entities. Perhaps within the quarks there
might be such entities; we simply do not know at this point in time.
The purpose of the brain with its solid bone cranium is to securely
hold and protect the soft tissues of the brain. The grey matter is the
external structures of the actual boson-based information-bearing
structures, including quarks containing the memory, and higher
