No Intelligence in evolutionary branches?

originally posted by: IAMTAT
Whales and dolphins are very intelligent.
Substitute those flippers for hands with opposable thumbs...and look out.

Yes indeed. In the case of humans, it's the accumulation of multiple traits, not JUST intelligence. It's the opposable thumbs, the upright walking and also the voice box. Those essentially are what let intelligence make a difference in our survival.

a reply to: Barcs

Deny ignorance, and you are asking for an ignore feature...

a reply to: NoConspiracy

Deny ignorance, and you are asking for an ignore feature...

That is a very good observation .. lol

a reply to: NoConspiracy

Hey it's not out of the question that other intelligent species existed in the past. Great apes have only been around some 10-15 million years. Dinosaurs roamed the earth for almost 200 million years, it's entirely possible an intelligent genetic line emerged at some point but got wiped out. If there are marine organisms as smart as humans, they surely would be smart enough to stay hidden from us.

You also have to take into account that opposable thumbs, walking upright and ability to communicate is a huge part of why intelligence became a survival trait. Humans got the right mutations to make it conducive, so maybe we got lucky while other species did not.

As intelligent as we are during our brief moment of dominance, we aren't intelligent enough to stop a super volcano or divert a large asteroid, so all the talk about intelligence, would be meaningless the second something like that happened and rendered us extinct, while thousands of other species end up surviving it. Maybe one day we'll get to that point, but right now we are incredibly temporary and easily replaceable.

originally posted by: NoConspiracy
a reply to: Barcs

Deny ignorance, and you are asking for an ignore feature...

Ignore =/= ignorance. By ignoring people that constantly spread ignorance, I would literally be denying ignorance by doing that, not to mention save myself a headache.

a reply to: Barcs

Maybe they left earth due to an impending ELE?

at least the surface dwellers, the fishes are very well protected against allmost every ELE, and yes they would not come out of the water knowing how Humans are.

everything is easily replaceable.

"Nothing" is essential!


NC

originally posted by: Barcs

So true. I really wish this website had an ignore feature. It would make things so much easier.

Why do you want to ignore the truth that evolution is mechanistically impossible? It's good news that we aren't a random mutant accident void of meaning.

a reply to: Barcs

some of that headache goes on me...

Im sorry i put that topic in this forum, must have had the same effect as light has on moth.

everyone is entitled to his opinion, unfortunately some think they know better and express their opinion as truth.

goes for the religious geeks as goes for the scieny geeks...

well even goes for the woo geeks reading some of my posts
yet they are all opinions, because reality/truth is not static but very dynamic, and changes constantly.

like einstein once said: there is only one constant in the universe, which is change.

I think ignoring anyones opinion is contributing to ignorance, but I admitt I didnt read most of the post in this thread because my base premis was not a disscusion about creationism Vs. Darwinism. so i guess i saved me a headache.

sorry again

NC

a reply to: cooperton

From some woo theories to the meaning of Life, that escalated quickly

As long as everyone can make up his own meaning, you are right.
The moment a religion gets to declare that meaning, you lost me.

What is your meaning of life?

Sincerely NC

originally posted by: cooperton

originally posted by: Barcs

So true. I really wish this website had an ignore feature. It would make things so much easier.

Why do you want to ignore the truth that evolution is mechanistically impossible? It's good news that we aren't a random mutant accident void of meaning.

What's your opinion on the question? Why are humans the "smartest" creatures on the planet?

originally posted by: cooperton

originally posted by: Barcs

So true. I really wish this website had an ignore feature. It would make things so much easier.

Why do you want to ignore the truth that evolution is mechanistically impossible? It's good news that we aren't a random mutant accident void of meaning.

I feel 2 Timothy 4:3,4 explains and predicts the behaviour and motivation (the 'why') quite well:

For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome* [Or “healthful; beneficial.”] teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled.* [Or “to tell them what they want to hear.”] 4 They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories.

It's a matter of that which they want to hear (because it pleases their ears, tickles their ears) vs that which they don't (because it doesn't please their ears, tickle their ears). It's never a pleasant experience to have your bubble burst. The human tendency is to resent reproof and those through whom it may be given. But yielding to this tendency degrades one to the level of an unreasoning beast lacking moral discrimination; as the inspired proverb expresses it: “A hater of reproof is unreasoning.” (Pr 12:1) Although reproof can benefit those who receive it, the efforts of the reprover are not always appreciated. Thus Proverbs 9:7, 8 warns: “He that is correcting the ridiculer is taking to himself dishonor, and he that is giving a reproof to someone wicked​—a defect in him. Do not reprove a ridiculer, that he may not hate you. Give a reproof to a wise person and he will love you.”

Just to be clear, reproof is that which is designed to convince others of their having erred, in order to move them to acknowledge their mistakes and correct these. Unlike reproof, a rebuke may be a censure without any laying bare of fault by the presentation of evidence. Rebuke is sharply expressing disapproval or of checking by words or actions. One Hebrew verb rendered “rebuke” literally means “humiliate” (Job 11:3). In Greek, the sense of “rebuke” is conveyed by e·pi·ti·maʹo, which may also mean “strictly charge,” “sternly tell,” “reprimand.”​—Mt 12:16; Lu 18:39; 2Ti 4:2.

A rebuke may be either valid or unjustified (much like ridicule btw, although the latter is often less productive or beneficial). Though a rebuke from a wise person may hurt, the inspired counsel is: “Better is it to hear the rebuke of someone wise than to be the man hearing the song of the stupid ones.” (Ec 7:5) The rebuke from a wise man, when accepted in the right spirit and acted on, can bring about improvement in a person’s conduct. The sensible person is more deeply affected by a simple rebuke than is a senseless person who receives 100 strokes for a misdeed. (Pr 17:10)

A wise person knows that “no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.” (Hebrews 12:11) The Greek word rendered “discipline” there, primarily relates to what is needed in bringing up children​—discipline, instruction, education, correction, chastisement.

Just a little background, probably too much information already (I initially just wanted to clarify the meaning of “reproof” in the context of the verses I quoted from the book of Proverbs, but then I ended up mentioning rebuke and one thing led to another).

originally posted by: TzarChasm
...
I think ravens and dolphins and dogs and ferrets are some excellent examples of intelligent life that is maybe more clever than humans even. Feel free to add to the list

Are They “Intelligent”? (Awake!—1986)

THE heron goes fishing with a lure in the tip of its bill. Sighting a fish in the stream, it drops the lure, a feather. As the fish comes up for the bait, swish, the heron has its dinner​—lure fishing by a professional angler.

Is this evidence of intelligence? According to one report, scientists feel that intelligence is the “quality of being aware of oneself as an entity in one’s environment, and of being able to acquire and retain knowledge, to learn and understand from experience, to solve problems and to respond successfully to constantly changing situations.”

Apparently, the heron learned from experience and solved a problem. Therefore, by this definition, some would say it is “intelligent.” And other examples may be cited.

The honeybee is another creature that seems to be “intelligent.” In order to test its “intelligence,” Dr. James Gould, a researcher of honeybee behavior at Princeton University, placed food for the bees but moved the food each time the bees flew back to the hive. Each movement of the food was one-and-a-quarter times the previous distance from the hive. Soon the bees outwitted the researcher. They were found circling around the spot where the food was next expected to be.

Dr. Gould believes, however, that most of the evidences of animal intelligence are instinctive. If so, can he explain how the bees came to a conclusion based on past events? “I can’t,” he replied, adding, “I wish they’d never done it!”

Whether animals act by “intelligence” or by instinct, the question remains: What is the source of their wisdom? Even though Dr. Gould admits he cannot explain it, his basic stand in this field is: “Evolution can program very complex behavior into very tiny brains.” But would it not be more logical to conclude that such “intelligent” behavior must be the result of intelligent design rather than blind evolution? The Bible links the behavior of the winged creatures to the Creator and says: “Ask, please, the domestic animals, and they will instruct you; also the winged creatures of the heavens, and they will tell you. Who among all these does not well know that the hand of Jehovah itself has done this?”​—Job 12:7, 9; see also Proverbs 30:24-28.

What will these creatures tell you? If they had the ability to speak, they would say: ‘The Creator can program very complex behavior into very tiny brains.’ While evolutionists may “wish they’d never done” such intriguing things, the Bible attributes the wisdom​—whether learned or instinctive—​of such creatures to their Maker, Jehovah God.​—Genesis 1:20-22; Romans 1:20.

In Populations, Species and Evolution, Professor Ernst Mayr of Harvard University, an evolutionist, states:

“No more tragic mistake could be made than to consider man ‘merely an animal.’ Man is unique; he differs from all other animals in many properties, such as speech, tradition, culture, and an enormously extended period of growth and parental care.”

They aren't even playing in the same ballpark, not even close. Of all creatures on earth, only humans are capable of abstract reasoning, using complex languages, accumulating and building on knowledge and transmitting the improvement to their children. Only humans invent and improve on tools.

Brain scans prove that the frontal lobe becomes active when you think of a word or call up memories. The front part of the brain plays a special role in your being you.

“The prefrontal cortex . . . is most involved with elaboration of thought, intelligence, motivation, and personality. It associates experiences necessary for the production of abstract ideas, judgment, persistence, planning, concern for others, and conscience. . . . It is the elaboration of this region that sets human beings apart from other animals.” (Marieb’s Human Anatomy and Physiology) We certainly see evidence of this distinction in what humans have accomplished in fields such as mathematics, philosophy, and justice, which primarily involve the prefrontal cortex.

Why do humans have a large, flexible prefrontal cortex, which contributes to higher mental functions, whereas in animals this area is rudimentary or nonexistent? The contrast is so great that biologists who claim that we evolved speak of the “mysterious explosion in brain size.” Professor of Biology Richard F. Thompson, noting the extraordinary expansion of our cerebral cortex, admits: “As yet we have no very clear understanding of why this happened.” Could the reason lie in man’s having been created with this peerless brain capacity?

Other parts of the brain also contribute to our uniqueness. Behind our prefrontal cortex is a strip stretching across the head—the motor cortex. It contains billions of neurons that connect with our muscles. It too has features that contribute to our being far different from apes or other animals. The primary motor cortex gives us “(1) an exceptional capability to use the hand, the fingers, and the thumb to perform highly dexterous manual tasks, and (2) use of the mouth, lips, tongue, and facial muscles to talk.”—Guyton’s Textbook of Medical Physiology.

Consider briefly how the motor cortex affects your ability to speak. Over half of it is devoted to the organs of communication. This helps to explain the unparalleled communication skills of humans. Though our hands play a role in communication (in writing, normal gestures, or sign language), the mouth usually plays the major part. Human speech—from a baby’s first word to the voice of an elderly person—is unquestionably a marvel. Some 100 muscles in the tongue, lips, jaw, throat, and chest cooperate to produce countless sounds. Note this contrast: One brain cell can direct 2,000 fibers of an athlete’s calf muscle, but brain cells for the voice box may concentrate on only 2 or 3 muscle fibers. Does that not suggest that our brain is specially equipped for communication?

Each short phrase that you utter requires a specific pattern of muscular movements. The meaning of a single expression can change depending upon the degree of movement and split-second timing of scores of different muscles. “At a comfortable rate,” explains speech expert Dr. William H. Perkins, “we utter about 14 sounds per second. That’s twice as fast as we can control our tongue, lips, jaw or any other parts of our speech mechanism when we move them separately. But put them all together for speech and they work the way fingers of expert typists and concert pianists do. Their movements overlap in a symphony of exquisite timing.”

The actual information needed to ask the simple question, “How are you today?” is stored in a part of your brain’s frontal lobe called Broca’s area, which some consider to be your speech center. Nobel laureate neuroscientist Sir John Eccles wrote: “No area corresponding to the . . . speech area of Broca has been recognized in apes.” Even if some similar areas are found in animals, the fact is that scientists cannot get apes to produce more than a few crude speech sounds. You, though, can produce complicated language. To do so, you put words together according to the grammar of your language. Broca’s area helps you do that, both in speaking and in writing.

Of course, you cannot exercise the miracle of speech unless you know at least one language and understand what its words mean. This involves another special part of your brain, known as Wernicke’s area. Here, billions of neurons discern the meaning of spoken or written words. Wernicke’s area helps you to make sense of statements and to comprehend what you hear or read; thus you can learn information and can respond sensibly.

There is even more to your fluent speech. To illustrate: A verbal “Hello” can convey a host of meanings. Your tone of voice reflects whether you are happy, excited, bored, rushed, annoyed, sad, or frightened, and it may even reveal degrees of those emotional states. Another area of your brain supplies information for the emotional part of speech. So, various parts of your brain come into play when you communicate.

Chimpanzees have been taught some limited sign language, but their use of it is essentially limited to simple requests for food or other basics. Having worked to teach chimps simple nonverbal communication, Dr. David Premack concluded: “Human language is an embarrassment for evolutionary theory because it is vastly more powerful than one can account for.”

We might ponder: ‘Why do humans have this marvelous skill to communicate thoughts and feelings, to inquire and to respond?’ The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics states that “[human] speech is special” and admits that “the search for precursors in animal communication does not help much in bridging the enormous gap that separates language and speech from nonhuman behaviors.” Professor Ludwig Koehler summarized the difference: “Human speech is a secret; it is a divine gift, a miracle.”

What a difference there is between an ape’s use of signs and the complex language ability of children! Sir John Eccles referred to what most of us have also observed, an ability “exhibited even by 3-year-old children with their torrent of questions in their desire to understand their world.” He added: “By contrast, apes do not ask questions.” Yes, only humans form questions, including questions about the meaning of life.

A baby’s brain has been called “the most powerful learning machine in the universe,” and for good reason. An infant enters the world primed to absorb all the sights, sounds, and sensations that surround him. (For the sake of simplicity, throughout this comment I will refer to the child as a male. However, the principles discussed apply to both genders.)

Above all, the infant is intrigued by other humans​—their faces, their voices, their touch. The book Babyhood, by Penelope Leach, states: “Many studies have been made of the sights which interest an infant most, the sounds which attract and hold his attention, the sensations he most clearly seeks to repeat. All of these are most frequently and readily available in the form of an adult care-taking human being.” No wonder parents play such a vital role in the child’s development!

Parents and pediatricians alike are astounded by a newborn’s ability to learn a language by merely listening to it. Researchers have found that within days, an infant is accustomed to his mother’s voice and prefers it over that of a stranger; within weeks, he can tell the difference between the speech sounds of his parents’ native tongue and those of other languages; and within months, he can sense the junctures between words and thus tell the difference between normal speech and unintelligible sounds.

The Christian apostle Paul wrote: “When I was an infant, I spoke as an infant.” (1 Corinthians 13:11, Modern King James Version) How does an infant speak? Usually with an outpouring of incoherent babbling. Just noise? Hardly! In her book What’s Going On in There?​—How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life, Dr. Lise Eliot reminds us that the act of speaking is “an intricate motor task, requiring the rapid coordination of dozens of muscles controlling the lips, tongue, palate, and larynx.” She adds: “While babbling may seem to be just an enchanting way for babies to get attention, it also serves as a very important rehearsal for the complex gymnastics of speaking.”

Parents respond to their infant’s babbling with animated speech of their own, and this too serves a purpose. Exaggerated speech stimulates the infant to respond. This back-and-forth exchange teaches the infant the rudiments of conversation​—a skill he will use for the rest of his life.

Shifting roles:

Parents of infants are kept quite busy responding to their newborn’s everyday needs. Baby cries, and someone is there to feed him. Baby cries, and someone is there to change him. Baby cries, and someone is there to hold him. Such pampering is appropriate and necessary. It is a primary way that parents fulfill their role as caretakers.​—1 Thessalonians 2:7.

In view of the above, it is only natural if a baby believes that he is at the center of the universe and that adults​—in particular, parents—​exist solely to do his bidding. That view is flawed but completely understandable. Remember, for more than a year, that has been the baby’s reality. In his view, he is the monarch of an empire populated by big people who were put here to serve him. Family counselor John Rosemond writes: “It takes just short of two years to create this fantastic impression; it takes at least sixteen more years to correct it! And that, paradoxically, is a parent’s job: cause his/​her child to believe in this fantasy, then burst​—albeit gently—​the child’s bubble.”

At about age two, the bubble does indeed burst as a parent shifts roles from caretaker to instructor. Now the baby becomes aware that his parents are not following his lead; instead, he is being expected to follow theirs. The baby’s monarchy has been overthrown, and he may not take well to the new regime. Frustrated, he attempts to hold his ground. How?

Coping with tantrums:

At about two years of age, many babies exhibit a radical change of behavior, often including fits of bad temper known as tantrums. This period is so frustrating for parents that it has been termed “the terrible twos”! Suddenly, the toddler’s favorite expression is “No!” or “I don’t want to!” He may become frustrated with both himself and his parents as he struggles with his own conflicting feelings. He wants to be away from you, yet he wants to be near you. To bewildered parents, little seems to make sense, and even less seems to work. What is going on?

Well, consider the radical shift that has taken place in the toddler’s life. Until recently, all he had to do was whimper, and adults would come running. Now he begins to realize that his “rule” was only temporary and that he will have to do at least some things for himself. More and more, he comes to understand that he is in a submissive role, which can be summed up by the Bible’s statement: “Children, be obedient to your parents in everything.”​—Colossians 3:20.

During this difficult period, parents should hold on to the reins of authority. If they do so in a firm but loving way, the child will adjust to his new role. And the stage will be set for further marvels of growth.

Moral Character:

Animals, even machines, can recognize words and imitate speech. But only a human can step back and examine himself. Thus, at about two or three years of age, a toddler is able to feel such emotions as pride, shame, guilt, and embarrassment. These are the first stages toward his becoming an adult with moral qualities​—one who can firmly stand up for what is right, even when others are doing wrong.

At about this time, parents are thrilled to experience yet another wonder. Their child is becoming aware of the feelings of others. Whereas at two years of age, he only played alongside others, now he may play with them. He also recognizes when his parents feel good and may want to please them. Thus, he is likely to become more teachable.

More than ever before, a three-year-old is beginning to learn the concepts of right and wrong, good and bad. Clearly, this is a time for parents to train their children with the goal of helping them to become responsible adults.

WHY TANTRUMS MAY KEEP COMING

“Some parents feel that tantrums occur because they have made some mistake in dealing with the child’s demands,” writes John Rosemond in New Parent Power. “It stands to reason, if they are to blame for the child’s tantrum, that they must right the wrong as quickly as possible. So, having said no, they say yes. Or, having spanked, they then give the child more than he or she originally demanded, to keep their guilt at bay. These maneuvers work. The tantrum stops, the parent is relieved, and the child, learning that tantrums are a successful means of obtaining things, throws more and better ones.”

Hmmm, the behaviour sounds a bit familiar somehow.

originally posted by: NoConspiracy

What is your meaning of life?

Simple, but difficult straight-forward question, I like it.

To meet our Maker and go into the infinite depths of consciousness. In other words, "to be born again". Many think this pertains to death, but the Creator always has and always will be alive. To think the meaning of life is to die and meet this Being is probably one of the greatest misconceptions in popular Theology. I suppose a return to the natural state will allow us to realize subtle but true realities that have remained hidden behind the commotion of Western of civilization. This concept was exemplified by John the Baptist - a raw vegetarian living integrated with nature - preceding the Cross over into these new dimensions.

The Good news is literally as Good as you can imagine. The above is just my approach to the mountain, I imagine there are countless ways to the peak so long as you incorporate the Founder of the Universe.

a reply to: whereislogic

So in a word, ego is what makes humans so much "smarter" than all the other creatures in the world? The idea that we are more able to do bigger more dangerous and potentially catastrophic miracles that do more harm than good, and subjugate and exploit literally every resource we can buy or bully into cooperation, almost exclusively indulge our own agenda at the cost of our own planet and everything that lives here, proves we are "the best"?

originally posted by: TzarChasm
a reply to: whereislogic

So in a word, ego is what makes humans so much "smarter" than all the other creatures in the world?

Upright bipedalism, opposable thumbs, the potential for high degrees of love and rationality, complex language and the highest brain-body ratio makes me think we are the apex creature on this planet.

The idea that we are more able to do bigger more dangerous and potentially catastrophic miracles that do more harm than good, and subjugate and exploit literally every resource we can buy or bully into cooperation, almost exclusively indulge our own agenda at the cost of our own planet and everything that lives here, proves we are "the best"?

No no no, you just described sin and Babylon the whore. Look at Moses, John the Baptist, Abraham, etc - fully integrated with nature leaving no sort of pollution or burden on the planet and wholly integrated with the presence of the Creator on a daily basis.

a reply to: cooperton

Current events lead me to believe we are not the apex species

originally posted by: TzarChasm
a reply to: cooperton

Current events lead me to believe we are not the apex species

We are the only creature that has the potential to destroy the world. That shows how powerful we are. Think how great life would be if that was directed towards altruism, love, hope and so on... There are countless people already manifesting heaven on earth, you just wont hear about them on CNN.

originally posted by: cooperton

originally posted by: TzarChasm
a reply to: cooperton

Current events lead me to believe we are not the apex species

We are the only creature that has the potential to destroy the world. That shows how powerful we are. Think how great life would be if that was directed towards altruism, love, hope and so on... There are countless people already manifesting heaven on earth, you just wont hear about them on CNN.

Sounds like ego, not intelligence

a reply to: TzarChasm

Ego has nothing to do with our level and type of intelligence compared to that of animals. Nor with considering the source of all these different types and levels of intelligence.

Nor has the way some humans have chosen to use their intelligence much to do with those subjects. Coming back to that topic and elaborating a bit on some things that were already mentioned...

Why does human intelligence far surpass that of animals, such as apes? A key is our use of syntax—putting sounds together to make words and using words to make sentences. Theoretical neurophysiologist Dr. William H. Calvin explains:

“Wild chimpanzees use about three dozen different vocalizations to convey about three dozen different meanings. They may repeat a sound to intensify its meaning, but they do not string together three sounds to add a new word to their vocabulary.

“We humans also use about three dozen vocalizations, called phonemes. Yet only their combinations have content: we string together meaningless sounds to make meaningful words.” Dr. Calvin noted that “no one has yet explained” the leap from the animals’ “one sound/one meaning” to our uniquely human capacity to use syntax.

You can do more than doodle:

“Is only man, Homo sapiens, capable of communicating by language? Clearly the answer must depend on what is meant by ‘language’—for all the higher animals certainly communicate with a great variety of signs, such as gestures, odours, calls, cries and songs, and even the dance of the bees. Yet animals other than man do not appear to have structured grammatical language. And animals do not, which may be highly significant, draw representational pictures. At best they only doodle.”—Professors R. S. and D. H. Fouts.

“Turning to the human mind, we also find structures of marvellous intricacy,” notes Professor A. Noam Chomsky. “Language is a case in point, but not the only one. Think of the capacity to deal with abstract properties of the number system, [which seems] unique to humans.”

Professor Paul Davies reflected on the ability of the brain to handle the abstract field of mathematics. “Mathematics is not something that you find lying around in your back yard. It’s produced by the human mind. Yet if we ask where mathematics works best, it is in areas like particle physics and astrophysics, areas of fundamental science that are very, very far removed from everyday affairs.” What does that imply? “It suggests to me that consciousness and our ability to do mathematics are no mere accident, no trivial detail, no insignificant by-product of evolution.”—Are We Alone?

You can contemplate the future and plan for it:

Another facet of human consciousness is our ability to consider the future. When asked whether humans have traits that distinguish them from animals, Professor Richard Dawkins acknowledged that man has, indeed, unique qualities. After mentioning “the ability to plan ahead using conscious, imagined foresight,” Dawkins added: “Short-term benefit has always been the only thing that counts in evolution; long-term benefit has never counted. It has never been possible for something to evolve in spite of being bad for the immediate short-term good of the individual. For the first time ever, it’s possible for at least some people to say, ‘Forget about the fact that you can make a short-term profit by chopping down this forest; what about the long-term benefit?’ Now I think that’s genuinely new and unique.”

Other researchers confirm that humans’ ability for conscious, long-term planning is without parallel. Neurophysiologist William H. Calvin notes: “Aside from hormonally triggered preparations for winter and mating, animals exhibit surprisingly little evidence of planning more than a few minutes ahead.” Animals may store food before a cold season, but they do not think things through and plan. By contrast, humans consider the future, even the distant future. Some scientists contemplate what may happen to the universe billions of years hence. Did you ever wonder why man—so different from animals—is able to think about the future and lay out plans?

The Bible says of humans: “Even time indefinite [the Creator] has put in their heart.” The Revised Standard Version renders it: “He has put eternity into man’s mind.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) We use this distinctive ability daily, even in as common an act as glancing in a mirror and thinking what our appearance will be in 10 or 20 years. And we are confirming what Ecclesiastes 3:11 says when we give even passing thought to such concepts as the infinity of time and space. The mere fact that we have this ability harmonizes with the comment that a Creator has put “eternity into man’s mind.”

“Endowed” to ask:

Concerning the future of our universe, physicist Lawrence Krauss wrote: “We are emboldened to ask questions about things we may never see directly because we can ask them. Our children, or their children, will one day answer them. We are endowed with imagination.” “By contrast, apes do not ask questions”, as Sir John Eccles points out as quoted at the end of my comment you were responding to. Our Creator has given us the “intellectual capacity” to investigate the world around us and to find satisfying answers to our questions. (1 John 5:20) In this regard, physicist and Nobel laureate William D. Phillips wrote: “When I examine the orderliness, understandability, and beauty of the universe, I am led to the conclusion that a higher intelligence designed what I see. My scientific appreciation of the coherence, and the delightful simplicity of physics strengthens my belief in God.”

John Polkinghorne, of the University of Cambridge, England, observed:

“Theoretical physicist Paul Dirac discovered something called quantum field theory which is fundamental to our understanding of the physical world. I can’t believe Dirac’s ability to discover that theory, or Einstein’s ability to discover the general theory of relativity, is a sort of spin-off from our ancestors having to dodge saber-toothed tigers. Something much more profound, much more mysterious, is going on. . . .

“When we look at the rational order and transparent beauty of the physical world, revealed through physical science, we see a world shot through with signs of mind. To a religious believer, it is the mind of the Creator that is being discerned in that way.”—Commonweal.

Supercomputer equals snail:

“Today’s computers are not even close to a 4-year-old human in their ability to see, talk, move, or use common sense. One reason, of course, is sheer computing power. It has been estimated that the information processing capacity of even the most powerful supercomputer is equal to the nervous system of a snail—a tiny fraction of the power available to the supercomputer inside [our] skull.”—Steven Pinker, director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“The human brain is composed almost exclusively of the [cerebral] cortex. The brain of a chimpanzee, for example, also has a cortex, but in far smaller proportions. The cortex allows us to think, to remember, to imagine. Essentially, we are human beings by virtue of our cortex.”—Edoardo Boncinelli, director of research in molecular biology, Milan, Italy.

The cerebral cortex is the surface region of the brain that is most strongly linked to intelligence. A human’s cerebral cortex, if flattened, would cover four pages of typing paper; a chimpanzee’s would cover only one page; and a rat’s would cover a postage stamp.—Scientific American.