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A comment on Scientists re-evaluating relative brain size and mammalian intelligence. Parent comment

Re:Scientists re-evaluating relative brain size and mammalia... by hyperpallium2 on Friday April 30, 2021 @03:20AM (#26990663)
I've assumed it's because a larger body, with more cells, needs more neurons to monitor and model it, but it's not compelling.

The "law" is mere empirical correlation - e.g. you are smarter than a blue whale.

The fantasy that the baby spiders with encephalization quotients (https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Encephalization_quotient) off the charts (because their brains displace their digestive systems and partly fill their legs) are more intelligent than humans, appeals to me. I suspect raw intelligence doesn't require many neurons. But spiders aren't social.

Parrots are.

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Re:Scientists re-evaluating relative brain size and mammalia... by NoahRoseWood on Friday April 30, 2021 @12:19PM (#26995458)
That's interesting

I've always felt spiders are different from other bugs. The way they move feels more calculated

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Re:Scientists re-evaluating relative brain size and mammalia... by david38 on Saturday May 01, 2021 @01:10PM (#27007886)
They are different. Most “bugs” people see are insects. Spiders are not insects.

Lots of spiders spins webs. This requires very careful stepping, so you are quite correct, their movements are very calculated. They have to step on a high wire, possibly vertically, while avoiding the sticky parts, getting knocked off, hit by prey, etc

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Re:Scientists re-evaluating relative brain size and mammalia... by sameboat632746 on Friday April 30, 2021 @01:02PM (#26996097)
Always wondered why spiders have their own phobia defined. I have probably a mild form of arachnophobia, they just give me creeps especially when moving.

Your comment makes me wonder if it is indeed related to their relative intelligence to other insects.

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