[ExI] Evolution - it works, but we can do better

[Ben Zaiboc]

On 01/05/2023 21:55, Giovanni Santostasi wrote:
>
> Maybe it is a valid question to find out what level of complexity is 
> needed to create awareness and what minimal functionality is required. 
> But my bet is that most complexity in the brain is redundant and not 
> necessary, it is a bug, not a feature.

That is certainly my impression, in biology as a whole. Not just in 
individual organisms, but probably in entire ecosystems as well.

I keep saying that evolution, with its 3bn year + history, is a good 
place to learn solutions to problems, but it's also important to 
remember that evolution is not design. There are many overcomplicated 
and just plain silly features in biology, going right back to the very 
fundamental beginnings (Okazaki fragments - what a stupid way to do 
things! But it works, inefficient as it is, and is now frozen into every 
single living organism. I remember being astonished when I was learning 
about this way of replicating DNA, and thinking "every 'intelligent 
design' nut should see this!"). It amazes me that so many people seem to 
think that evolution finds the best solutions, even 'perfect' solutions, 
when it's blindingly obvious that it doesn't. 'Good enough' is what 
matters. If it doesn't kill you before you can reproduce, it's good 
enough for evolution, no matter how daft it is. And it's chock-full of 
daftness.

I look forward to the day (assuming that we survive, and that biology 
will still be relevant) when we can redesign our bodies, physiology and 
even genetics itself. Yes, even Okazaki fragments. There are simply tons 
of features that could do with a redesign. AI will be needed for it, of 
course, because the complexities are more than we humans can deal with, 
especially if we don't want to introduce brittleness into the systems. 
We don't really know how much of the apparent silliness is actually 
clever ways to make them more robust (some things are obvious, though. 
Recurrent Laryngeal nerve, the mammalian eye, our lungs, spine, pelvis, 
wrist and ankle joints, distal limb bone structure, ... you could write 
a book on this theme).

To be honest, I hadn't thought much about this kind of inefficiency in 
the brain, but I'm sure you're going to be right. Considering how 
complex it is compared to our other organs, there are probably tons of 
things that could be improved upon without sacrificing any functionality 
at all. And evolution is lazy. We know that in the brain, something that 
works is just duplicated and repurposed for a new brain module. That 
can't be the best way to provide all the various features needed in a brain.

I used to say, Evolution is like having abusive parents. You wouldn't be 
here without them, but you need to get the hell away from them as soon 
as you can.

Ben