ability to fly as an analogy

Space/Science » in reply to Having just one data point on such an important subject is so frustrating

ability to fly as an analogy

pwokenyaw — 7/28/2009 6:20:00 PM (archived)

Powered flight (as opposed to gliding) has evolved three times in earth history: insects, birds, and bats. It evolved in insects hundreds of millions of years before birds, and then tens of millions of years passed before bats evolved flight. A hypothetical scientist living 200 million years ago and studying flying insects would make the same conclusion about flight as Lineweaver does about advanced civilizations.

My guess is Lineweaver's wrong: intelligence requires diversification, not a general tendency in one direction. Given enough time, one characteristic of diversity that gets explored convergently is by becoming more intelligent.

Also worth noting that Mayr wrote before people knew about dolphins' and crows' ability to make and use tools.

The whole thread (35 posts)

The Non-Prevalance of Humanoid Equivalents - phil - 7/28/2009 1:00:40 AM
- re: The Non-Prevalance of Humanoid Equivalents - Sawyer - 7/28/2009 2:49:56 PM
  - Live and learn die and forget it all. - Mr Fibuli - 7/31/2009 5:08:35 AM
    - re: Live and learn die and forget it all. - Sawyer - 7/31/2009 11:40:33 AM
      - re: Live and learn die and forget it all. - Mr Fibuli - 8/1/2009 2:37:50 AM
  - re: culture transmitted symbolically in the oceans - Nick Hoffman - 7/28/2009 11:25:02 PM
    - Main elimination issue for dolphins is lack of ability to make complex tools - Sawyer - 7/29/2009 1:32:30 AM
      - they lack ability for the hives themselves to cooperate. - Nick Hoffman - 7/29/2009 7:50:54 AM
        
        re: they lack ability for the hives themselves to cooperate. - Sawyer - 7/29/2009 3:05:15 PM
- Let's start with the asteroids - TB - 7/28/2009 5:32:25 AM
- re: The Non-Prevalance of Humanoid Equivalents - Marcia - 7/28/2009 2:01:05 AM
  - re: The Non-Prevalance of Humanoid Equivalents - JEKing - 7/28/2009 5:03:42 AM
    - re: The Non-Prevalance of Humanoid Equivalents - Kris Hartung - 7/30/2009 11:28:00 PM
    - re: The Non-Prevalance of Humanoid Equivalents - REB - 7/28/2009 4:18:53 PM
      - You might want to become a fan of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin - Socrates II - 7/28/2009 5:46:40 PM
        
        re: You might want to become a fan of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin - REB - 7/30/2009 12:46:10 PM
        
        You just better hope... - Socrates II - 7/31/2009 2:53:11 AM
        
        I have read about transcendence being the ultimate outcome of evolution - FrankC - 7/29/2009 10:04:58 PM
        
        We might easily "devolve" back into something similar that is more in tune with Earth's environment - Socrates II - 7/31/2009 2:15:22 PM
        
        A more immediate retrogression - JEKing - 7/31/2009 9:29:33 PM
        
        Now there's a science fiction story - Socrates II - 7/31/2009 9:49:02 PM
        
        re: Now there's a science fiction story - JEKing - 8/1/2009 12:00:43 AM
        
        Speaking of cetaceans - Socrates II - 7/31/2009 7:46:16 PM
        
        Re: "evolving towards" - Nick Hoffman - 7/28/2009 11:21:36 PM
        
        True, until now. - Lee - 7/31/2009 10:32:38 PM
        
        How would you tell? - Adam - 7/30/2009 8:49:29 AM
        
        Go back and read Charlie Lineweaver's paper - nick hoffman - 7/30/2009 11:41:53 AM
        
        That's what he says... - Adam - 7/30/2009 8:08:58 PM
        
        life game - Sawyer - 7/31/2009 12:50:34 AM
        
        Just what I mean... - Adam - 7/31/2009 4:00:22 AM
    - Having just one data point on such an important subject is so frustrating - Socrates II - 7/28/2009 1:40:37 PM
      - ability to fly as an analogy - pwokenyaw - 7/28/2009 6:20:00 PM
        
        4+ You Forgot Pterosaurs - marsby - 7/29/2009 6:49:53 PM
        
        re: 4+ You Forgot Pterosaurs - pwokenyaw - 7/30/2009 11:44:27 PM
        
        4 times you forgot human flight, only 1 rocket power flight though (n/t) - Sawyer - 7/29/2009 3:14:50 PM

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