Why Brains Are Different From Computers

**Mikeus Caesar** · 03-25-2008, 06:31

Originally Posted by Vladimir

Four. Or longer if you count the organic materials that form in space.

Nope - iirc, the Earth itself has been around for 4 billion years, cellular life only appeared approximately 2 billion years ago.

**Vladimir** · 03-25-2008, 12:53

Originally Posted by Mikeus Caesar

Nope - iirc, the Earth itself has been around for 4 billion years, cellular life only appeared approximately 2 billion years ago.

Earth is around 5 and there is evidence to suggest life began between three and four billion. Almost as soon as it could, it did. You're thinking cellular; is that eukaryotic or prokaryotic? Point is the date keeps being pushed back and is far different from computing.

**Mikeus Caesar** · 03-25-2008, 14:10

Originally Posted by Vladimir

Earth is around 5 and there is evidence to suggest life began between three and four billion. Almost as soon as it could, it did. You're thinking cellular; is that eukaryotic or prokaryotic? Point is the date keeps being pushed back and is far different from computing.

Touche - upon further reading, there are prokaryote fossils dating from approximately 3.5 billion years ago (give or take a couple hundred million years).

But ultimately i should be more coherent and specific in my point, in that i'm referring to multi-cellular life with the basis for a brain, no matter how primitive. Thus, the human brain hasn't been in development for however many years it can finally be agreed on that life has been around for - the human brain has been in development since whenever the first multi-cellular life developed a nervous system.

But that still doesn't answer my question - where did Reise's comment on 7 billion years come from?

**Vladimir** · 03-25-2008, 14:23

Originally Posted by Mikeus Caesar

Touche - upon further reading, there are prokaryote fossils dating from approximately 3.5 billion years ago (give or take a couple hundred million years).

But ultimately i should be more coherent and specific in my point, in that i'm referring to multi-cellular life with the basis for a brain, no matter how primitive. Thus, the human brain hasn't been in development for however many years it can finally be agreed on that life has been around for - the human brain has been in development since whenever the first multi-cellular life developed a nervous system.

But that still doesn't answer my question - where did Reise's comment on 7 billion years come from?

Yea, I watch way too much science channel. There have been successful experiments where rat brain cells were used to control computer chips. The computer isn't a brain, but a product of and tool for the brain. He also said "several" not seven.

**ReiseReise** · 03-26-2008, 22:55

Originally Posted by Vladimir

He also said "several" not seven.

Thank you.
sev·er·al /ˈsɛvərəl, ˈsɛvrəl/ –adjective
1. being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind:

Maybe I stretched the definition of the word and 'few' would have been more appropriate, but I meant between 2-4. I didn't know the exact number and didn't feel like looking it up. 2 billion or 5 billion, it it doesn't matter compared to 60 years or whatever, 10^1 vs 10^9 = damn, who cares what the multiplier is.

**Mikeus Caesar** · 03-28-2008, 05:53

And now from a debate on how long life has been about, i swiftly bring it to the English language - since when does 'several' mean 2-4? TO my knowledge, several has always meant seven of something i.e i have several buns

**LeftEyeNine** · 03-28-2008, 14:25

*kills everyone on the planet with WTDRUFO[1] gun*

[1]: What the daisy are you fighting over ?!

**Papewaio** · 04-01-2008, 01:50

Originally Posted by Mikeus Caesar

And now from a debate on how long life has been about, i swiftly bring it to the English language - since when does 'several' mean 2-4? TO my knowledge, several has always meant seven of something i.e i have several buns

Several means two or more and generally used for an approximation.

The brain is a set of specialised cells. There development (RNA/DNA) can be linked back to the first set of cells not just neural pathways. One evolved from the other, it doesn't stop the process starting at inception of cells.

**Ice** · 04-10-2008, 00:06

Originally Posted by Mikeus Caesar

And now from a debate on how long life has been about, i swiftly bring it to the English language - since when does 'several' mean 2-4? TO my knowledge, several has always meant seven of something i.e i have several buns

Never heard of that. Several has always just meant a "couple" to me.