Wouldn't have a shrunk brain mean you actually think faster?

[Grandy]

I mean, someone used that as an insult on me today, saying ym brain had obviously shrunk, and I was thinking, wouldn't that mean it takes less time for the electric signals to travel around my brain, effectivelly making me a better thinker?

Kind of like how a computer gets slower the hotter it is, because it expands and the signals take longer to arrive?

[DragonBlaze]

I'd say so. Flies for example, they think way too fast, which is why I can never kill them (and when I am able to I feel like a ninja).




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[Prpl_Mage]

But at the same time it would impair your philosophical nature because the response from everything around you would be far too distracting. It would be hard to focus on a single thing when your brain takes in everything directly.

[fruckert]

Babies don't appear to think that fast.

[Archem]

I'm not sure. Flies aren't faster because their tiny brains think faster, they're just more responsive due to having much shorter nerves, meaning all information reaches the brain faster. Actual intelligent thought is apparently a result of a wrinkly brain, and the increased surface area means more grey matter is present than in a smoother brain (something most animals have, which explains their weaker cognitive skills). An actual change in brain size, however, is something I don't fully understand. It has been theorized that larger brains are smarter (smarter and faster seem to act hand-in-hand, as a "smarter" person can come to a conclusion on a basic problem, such as a math problem, faster than a "dumber" person), and it is worth noting that the brain develops newer cells though cellular division as we age, so it's possible that a larger brain is a smarter brain. Studies of the brains of some reputable (and mostly dead) geniuses over the years have shown that these brains were typically larger than the average, and sometimes had unusual compositions of the parts of the brain (or sometimes entire missing sections), which would help explain the difference in thought processes between these men and women as opposed to the thought processes of the standard person.

Based solely on those findings (which are still disputed for varying reasons), it's fair to suggest that a shrunken brain isn't beneficial to the speed of thought processing. It's not the most solid thing in the world (I'm no brain doctor), but it seems that the insult could have some level of solidity to it.

[DragonBlaze]

^
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L truth

FYI: Computer are slower when they heat up because the CPU is designed to use less voltage when they get hot so they don't fry themselves.

[Archem]

Brain wrinkles. I touched on that. Although, the size might contribute to how they're a rather smart animal. Quite intelligent, really.

[Moosetroop11]

Mm. Most animals with very small brains (such as insects) act more on instinct, don't do things for pleasure, and simply 'work to live'.  Animals with bigger brains get closer and closer to our level of intelligence.  It's not an exact science but size must be a factor.

[Cerebus]

You sure have an interesting reaction to insults thrown at you.

[Prpl_Mage]

Mm. Most animals with very small brains (such as insects) act more on instinct, don't do things for pleasure, and simply 'work to live'.  Animals with bigger brains get closer and closer to our level of intelligence.  It's not an exact science but size must be a factor.

But insects barely have brains. They are like the twilight zone of everything else on the planet with their skeletons on the outside and the meat on the inside, even their reproduction is weird.

[Archem]

Hell, some insects actually don't have brains. Instead, they have an advanced nervous system which runs throughout their entire body (which isn't very different from what a standard nervous system does), basically meaning they're all brain, but with a few odd body parts sticking out here and there. Of course, these are the bugs that live off of instinct and hard-wired thought processes. If not for that, they'd be quite useless and likely extinct.

[Prpl_Mage]

Hell, some insects actually don't have brains. Instead, they have an advanced nervous system which runs throughout their entire body (which isn't very different from what a standard nervous system does), basically meaning they're all brain, but with a few odd body parts sticking out here and there. Of course, these are the bugs that live off of instinct and hard-wired thought processes. If not for that, they'd be quite useless and likely extinct.

Like shrimps.

[daoman89]

Basically they said you're becoming less intelligent and you should lay them out.

[Archem]

Basically they said you're becoming less intelligent and you should lay them out.

That'll show 'em who's a neanderthal!

[zuhane]

Biology's way too complex for us to even be able to judge that. It would probably have all sorts of crazy altercations or something.

As a response, tell them they have a shrunken face. Works every time!