Re:Comparing linear and nonlinear effects of cognitive abili...
by pflanze on Friday November 05, 2021 @05:20PM
(#29124855)
You're probably referring to "Why are our brains shrinking? (usfca.edu)"[1]
But that made claims about size, not capacity or intelligence?
Re:Comparing linear and nonlinear effects of cognitive abili...
by tejtm on Saturday November 06, 2021 @01:41AM
(#29127818)
sure and certainly between species neuron density may vary wildly resulting in some smaller being smarter than other larger.
The researchers wisely made claims on what they have, and that does not include neuron density over eons within our species nor paleo intelligence tests in general.
But being a poster child of typical myself I can't help but suspect the most parsimonious result is (statistically) larger cranial capacity affords higher intelligence potential all other things e.g, neuron density, being equal.
Half a moment of cherry-picking web search results for "cranial capacity and intelligence in mammals" turns up "External Measures of Cognition" [1] which "surprise!" agrees.
With "extincting all predators" and farming being lesser factors than the continual community based purging of more aggressive/intelligent individuals.