Brains are not required to think or solve problems – simple cells can do it (scientificamerican.com)

Article summary

Research suggests that intelligence and problem-solving abilities are not exclusive to brains, but can be found in simple cells and even plants. The study of basal cognition explores how cells and organisms without brains can exhibit intelligent behavior. This challenges the traditional view that true cognition requires a brain. Scientists are discovering that cells can store information and communicate through bioelectricity, allowing them to solve problems and adapt to their environment.

Main themes

• basal cognition
• intelligence without brains
• consciousness and awareness
• reductionism and complexity
• language and intelligence
• time and perception
• self-model and illusion
• cognitive systems and biology

What commenters say

• Consciousness may not require a brain or complex nervous system, but rather can arise from simpler systems.
• The experience of consciousness may be an illusion created by our self-model, rather than a direct reflection of reality.
• The distinction between awareness and consciousness is important, with awareness being the blank canvas on which consciousness is experienced.
• Reductionism can be used to explain the existence of consciousness, but it does not necessarily mean that consciousness is not real.
• The complexity of the human mind cannot be fully replicated by current AI systems, such as LLMs.
• The relationship between language and intelligence is still not fully understood, with some arguing that language is a transport layer on top of a more fundamental model.
• The nature of time and its relationship to consciousness is still a topic of debate, with some arguing that time is an illusion.
• The idea that we don't actually 'feel' anything, but rather our impression of feeling is a story created by our self-model, is a topic of discussion.