> Having these handicaps (growing up without parents and short lifespan) is one possible explanation for why they developed their high intelligence. That argum

> Having these handicaps (growing up without parents and short lifespan) is one possible explanation for why they developed their high intelligence. That argument makes sense, but is exactly the opposite of what we see in nature in every case except the octopus. Intelligent animals tend to live a long time (apes, elephants, dolphins). One assumes that it's because the advantages to intelligence accrete over long periods. If you're only going to live a few years, you want to devote all your energy to being strong and fast. This is one of the things that makes octopuses so baffling.