Re: progress in evolution

Biochmborg@aol.com
Sun, 6 Jun 1999 10:32:40 EDT

In a message dated 6/6/99 1:01:51 AM Mountain Daylight Time, ccogan@sfo.com
writes:

> This depends on how you define and measure complexity. Information
> processing is a different matter. Cows can't cope conceptually, and humans
> can. Since conceptual coping is much more powerful than mere PERceptual
> coping, we are functionally more complex than cows, by vast amounts. That's
> why I can program a computer, write a book, drive a car, FIX a car, use the
> Internet, dispute points of science and philosophy with other people, and
so
> on, while cows, even if they had human-like hands, would still be basically
> not much more than grass-munchers.

Actually, anatomical and neurological studies would indicate that your
conclusion is not valid. Simply listing a series of human accomplishments
that cows have not been able to emulate is not sufficient evidence that
humand are functionally more complex.

However, "conceptual coping" is not a neurological term; would you please
define it and give an example or two?

Kevin L. O'Brien