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Article 5981 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: erwin@trwacs.fp.trw.com (Harry Erwin)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: Grounding: Real vs. Virtual (formerly "on meaning")
Keywords: symbol, analog, Turing Test, robotics
Message-ID: <613@trwacs.fp.trw.com>
Date: 29 May 92 18:03:59 GMT
References: <1992May23.141738.14114@news.media.mit.edu> <21813@castle.ed.ac.uk> <1992May25.202001.7388@psych.toronto.edu> <21988@castle.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: TRW Systems Division, Fairfax VA
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Speciation almost always occurs in isolation. In a sense, it reflects the
opposite of evolutionary pressure. What occurs under pressure is
elimination of variation in the genome and optimization of those organs
and structures already present. Brain size reflects two forces, one
minimizing the cost of an extremely costly organ and the other providing a
minimal functional capability. Evidence from extant groups on brain size
suggests that normal human behavior can be sustained by a brain size half
that seen in the average adult male. All this suggests that the large
brain evolved in some isolated group not under evolutionary pressure and
now survives due to some capability other than simple brain size.
Remember, H. neanderthalensis had an even larger brain than H. sapiens,
and it is clear that H. neander... is now extinct. (And please don't bring
up Binford.)


-- 
Harry Erwin
Internet: erwin@trwacs.fp.trw.com


