Are we the product of poor design?

Pavel Mosko · Dec 27, 2020

OldWiseGuy said:
I guess my point was really about how effectively we use our brains. Our brains can also store much more knowledge than they do.

I think they actually store more memory than we realize it's just that most of us can only access some of it consciously. I think the key would be to figure out what is the difference between your average person and someone people with "photographic" memory or nearly perfect recall and see the difference in the structure of the brain, the DNA, or the electrical activity etc. and see if there is some way to help people have better recall etc.

Part of the problem also so is our short term memory, basically the cache from a few days of living eventually gets eventually stored in the long term storage of our Cerebellum when we sleep. But that mechanism of data transfer kind of also adds a new opportunity for things to get screwed up since some of us don't sleep so well etc.

Larniavc · Dec 28, 2020

OldWiseGuy said:
You just showed that our brain processes images in a certain way.

A way that is imperfect. There is signal loss. That’s not perfect. What part of it do you think is perfect?

OldWiseGuy · Dec 28, 2020

Larnievc said:
A way that is imperfect. There is signal loss. That’s not perfect. What part of it do you think is perfect?

The part that processes practical use information, and that runs autonomous functions.

OldWiseGuy · Dec 28, 2020

Pavel Mosko said:
I think they actually store more memory than we realize it's just that most of us can only access some of it consciously. I think the key would be to figure out what is the difference between your average person and someone people with "photographic" memory or nearly perfect recall and see the difference in the structure of the brain, the DNA, or the electrical activity etc. and see if there is some way to help people have better recall etc.

Part of the problem also so is our short term memory, basically the cache from a few days of living eventually gets eventually stored in the long term storage of our Cerebellum when we sleep. But that mechanism of data transfer kind of also adds a new opportunity for things to get screwed up since some of us don't sleep so well etc.

I guess what I mean is the knowledge of how to succeed, to be successful in what we do. People don't seem to have this knowledge, which is certainly widely available. Of course it must enter their brain through education, then be confirmed by experience. It is puzzling that although we have great capacity for success in life, so many fail.

Arc F1 · Dec 28, 2020

Larnievc said:
Our optic signals has to go through the majority of our brain to get to the visual area of the brain. This is hugely inefficient.

Seems to work pretty good for me.

Arc F1 · Dec 28, 2020

pitabread said:
You don't have to wear glasses, do you?

Also, testicles. Don't get me started on the design of the male testes.

I wear contacts.

Jonathan Walkerin · Dec 28, 2020

OldWiseGuy said:
It is puzzling that although we have great capacity for success in life, so many fail.

Since the thread is still alive and going philosophical....

What is success in life anyway ?

Amassing wealth ? Raising a good children ? Being happy ?
Staying serene whatever happens to you ?

It is subjective. As is the assessment of failure.

There was this wonderful case of some anthropologist being interviewed from his stay at some Amazonian tribe and the interviewer had asked something along the lines of “what they take a month to make a bow ? How useless” not verbatim but that was the point.

The researcher replied “Yes and we sit months in office doing some excels so how smart is that ? “

pitabread · Dec 28, 2020

Arc F1 said:
I wear contacts.

Ah, so we both have defective eyes.

Arc F1 · Dec 28, 2020

pitabread said:
Ah, so we both have defective eyes.

I actually only wear one at a time. That way I can still see to read without magnifying glasses.

OldWiseGuy · Dec 28, 2020

Jonathan Walkerin said:
Since the thread is still alive and going philosophical....

What is success in life anyway ?

Amassing wealth ? Raising a good children ? Being happy ?
Staying serene whatever happens to you ?

It is subjective. As is the assessment of failure.

I have no problem with the failure of others, as long as they keep it to themselves, and the government doesn't get involved.

OldWiseGuy · Dec 28, 2020

Jonathan Walkerin said:
What is success in life anyway ?

Achieving what you set out to do (implicit is that one doesn't harm others in the effort). If someone sets out to remain poor, sick, and alone, they have achieved success. There are drug addicted street people that are happy as clams with their life.

Petros2015 · Dec 28, 2020

Arc F1 said:
I wasn't aware that we had a poor design. They must be talking about my hair falling out. Other than that I can't think of any weakness in our design. It's worked well for me over the years.

Teeth maybe could use some improvement... no fun having rotten crockery in your mouth, which without modern dentistry most of us would have for the last 50% of our lives.

Jonathan Walkerin · Dec 28, 2020

OldWiseGuy said:
Achieving what you set out to do (implicit is that one doesn't harm others in the effort).

Why is that implicit ? I am sure plenty of conquerors felt they were successful while getting bunch of people killed.

Larniavc · Dec 28, 2020

OldWiseGuy said:
You just showed that our brain processes images in a certain way.

But it is not perfect. That is what you keep dodging.

Larniavc · Dec 28, 2020

OldWiseGuy said:
To an earlier point, if we don't use our present brain capacity how can one say it isn't perfect considering what it is intended for?

We do. The idea that we use 10% is a myth.

Larniavc · Dec 28, 2020

OldWiseGuy said:
The part that processes practical use information, and that runs autonomous functions.

That is not perfect because when it come in through the eye it is inverted and needs to be ‘fixed in post’ in the visual system.

Larniavc · Dec 28, 2020

Arc F1 said:
Seems to work pretty good for me.

Correct. It works pretty good.

Surely though you agree that pretty good is not the same as perfect.

OldWiseGuy · Dec 28, 2020

Larnievc said:
We do. The idea that we use 10% is a myth.

Of course. I never believed that.

OldWiseGuy · Dec 28, 2020

Jonathan Walkerin said:
Why is that implicit ? I am sure plenty of conquerors felt they were successful while getting bunch of people killed.

It's implicit for my purpose.

OldWiseGuy · Dec 28, 2020

Larnievc said:
That is not perfect because when it come in through the eye it is inverted and needs to be ‘fixed in post’ in the visual system.

It can't come in any other way. Same with all creatures that have a pupil/aperature. The brain turns it rightside up.

Our eyes are a wondrous thing.

Are we the product of poor design?

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"Encourage him to keep talking. He's hilarious."

"Encourage him to keep talking. He's hilarious."

"Encourage him to keep talking. He's hilarious."

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