I thoroughly enjoyed your analysis. First, the obvious comment. In my experience most SF needs likeable or despicable characters, which have to be similar to us to be likeable or despicable. They should at least act mammalian, and most mammalian social structures have a great deal in common. Leaving those behind.
We marvel at insects ability to demonstrate a collective intelligence and social cooperation. The individuals are not connected by our way of thinking, but as you point out they exist in a huge structure of molecules which incorporates each separate body and nervous system. Massive parallel computing and multi-tasking comparable to what goes on inside each mammal body. Instead of nerves and synapses, they have chemicals connecting the individual cells.
Thanks for a great example as to where to look for intelligence. Frankly, primates intelligence is quite limited in the larger sense, in the communal sense.
Arf
Off Topic » in reply to Among the Coela
The knowledge of good and evil, and other primate limitations.
The whole thread (30 posts)
- Among the Coela
- The knowledge of good and evil, and other primate limitations.
- "Sessile hermaphroditic colonial polyps"