8 ms·

The brain is the most complex object in the known universe.

by motoboi 3y ago

quijoteuniv 3y ago
Known by who?
- lksjdflksdj9 3y ago
  ^^ this
- khazhoux 3y ago
  In common parlance, “known universe” refers to the extent of the universe that is observable by human beings on the planet earth. Hope that helps!
  - detrites 3y ago
    I took it as an intelligent way to poise an interesting counterpoint to assumption. You took it as...?
    - khazhoux 3y ago
      Counterpoint to what assumption? To the idea that the brain is complex? Or was it a cryptic way to imply that there might be other sentience with more-advanced “brains”?
      - quijoteuniv 3y ago
        I was pointing out the potential limitations or challenges inherent in using one's own cognitive abilities to understand and evaluate the world, including the brain's ability to comprehend itself. But i loved how this open up a discussion
throwaway12245 3y ago
More complex than the immune system?
- andrius4669 3y ago
  immune system cells actually share a lot of the same receptor systems as neurons do, and these systems end up influencing each other to significant degree, both ways. this rabbit hole goes deep...
  - objektif 3y ago
    This is interesting to what extend is this interaction?
- hkt 3y ago
  This - the immune system is fiercely complex, and as I understand it there's reason to believe we don't yet know all the types of cell that are in it. I could be wrong about that - I'm not an immunologist - but seem to recall reading such in the last few years.
  - anonymouskimmer 3y ago
    To address you and the GP. > More complex than the immune system? Possibly. From 2016: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature17316 https://www.nature.com/articles/nature17316 text in <> are mine. > The research group behind the current study previously showed11 that NHEJ <non-homologous end-joining, an error-prone mechanism of double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair> is essential for NSPC <neural stem/progenitor cells> differentiation, which implies a role for NHEJ-mediated DSB repair during normal brain development. It is possible that subpopulations of cells in the brain display the same types of rearrangements, and that some are positively selected. Similar studies in vivo and in other tissues are needed to test this hypothesis. From 2022: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-022-01508-x https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-022-01508-x > We show that genome-wide maps of endogenous DSBs are highly correlated between experimental replicates up to 10 kilobases (kb) resolution, and that DSBs are non-uniformly distributed along the genome, in all three cell differentiation stages analyzed. ... > Our datasets and analytical tools represent a valuable resource for exploring genome fragility during human neurogenesis and investigating how this might contribute to the pathogenesis of NDDs. <neurodevelopmental disorders>
layer8 3y ago
By what measure of complexity, and what definition of “object”? Arguably the totality of all lifeforms on earth, which are all physically connected to each other by their common genealogical graph (and by Earth as their environment), is more complex, because it contains all the brains.
- anonymouskimmer 3y ago
  Comparing a brain to anything which encompasses a brain, is tautological. In debate ("arguably", as you say), this is the equivalent of "infinity plus 1", which is a fallacy. So obviously the GP could not have been referencing anything which contains a brain as an "object".
  - layer8 3y ago
    Which is why I asked about what qualifies as an "object". The brain itself is a composite, so why does a larger composite not qualify?
    - anonymouskimmer 3y ago
      A larger composite (which contains a brain) can not qualify by the very nature of the proposition put forth. At least in adult debate (where "infinity plus 1" is seen as fallacious). Larger composites that do not contain a brain are fine by me, though I'm not the person you originally responded to.
      - BobbyJo 3y ago
        > A larger composite (which contains a brain) can not qualify by the very nature of the proposition put forth Personally don't see how this follows. "There is no larger circle than this ball bearing!" "What about the wheel it's used in?" "That's tautological!"
        anonymouskimmer 3y ago
logdap 3y ago
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The brain is the most complex object in the known universe.

quijoteuniv 3y ago

Known by who?

lksjdflksdj9 3y ago
^^ this
khazhoux 3y ago
In common parlance, “known universe” refers to the extent of the universe that is observable by human beings on the planet earth. Hope that helps!
- detrites 3y ago
  I took it as an intelligent way to poise an interesting counterpoint to assumption. You took it as...?
  - khazhoux 3y ago
    Counterpoint to what assumption? To the idea that the brain is complex? Or was it a cryptic way to imply that there might be other sentience with more-advanced “brains”?
    - quijoteuniv 3y ago
      I was pointing out the potential limitations or challenges inherent in using one's own cognitive abilities to understand and evaluate the world, including the brain's ability to comprehend itself. But i loved how this open up a discussion

throwaway12245 3y ago

More complex than the immune system?

andrius4669 3y ago
immune system cells actually share a lot of the same receptor systems as neurons do, and these systems end up influencing each other to significant degree, both ways. this rabbit hole goes deep...
- objektif 3y ago
  This is interesting to what extend is this interaction?
hkt 3y ago
This - the immune system is fiercely complex, and as I understand it there's reason to believe we don't yet know all the types of cell that are in it. I could be wrong about that - I'm not an immunologist - but seem to recall reading such in the last few years.
- anonymouskimmer 3y ago
  To address you and the GP. > More complex than the immune system? Possibly. From 2016: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature17316 https://www.nature.com/articles/nature17316 text in <> are mine. > The research group behind the current study previously showed11 that NHEJ <non-homologous end-joining, an error-prone mechanism of double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair> is essential for NSPC <neural stem/progenitor cells> differentiation, which implies a role for NHEJ-mediated DSB repair during normal brain development. It is possible that subpopulations of cells in the brain display the same types of rearrangements, and that some are positively selected. Similar studies in vivo and in other tissues are needed to test this hypothesis. From 2022: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-022-01508-x https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-022-01508-x > We show that genome-wide maps of endogenous DSBs are highly correlated between experimental replicates up to 10 kilobases (kb) resolution, and that DSBs are non-uniformly distributed along the genome, in all three cell differentiation stages analyzed. ... > Our datasets and analytical tools represent a valuable resource for exploring genome fragility during human neurogenesis and investigating how this might contribute to the pathogenesis of NDDs. <neurodevelopmental disorders>

layer8 3y ago

By what measure of complexity, and what definition of “object”? Arguably the totality of all lifeforms on earth, which are all physically connected to each other by their common genealogical graph (and by Earth as their environment), is more complex, because it contains all the brains.

anonymouskimmer 3y ago
Comparing a brain to anything which encompasses a brain, is tautological. In debate ("arguably", as you say), this is the equivalent of "infinity plus 1", which is a fallacy. So obviously the GP could not have been referencing anything which contains a brain as an "object".
- layer8 3y ago
  Which is why I asked about what qualifies as an "object". The brain itself is a composite, so why does a larger composite not qualify?
  - anonymouskimmer 3y ago
    A larger composite (which contains a brain) can not qualify by the very nature of the proposition put forth. At least in adult debate (where "infinity plus 1" is seen as fallacious). Larger composites that do not contain a brain are fine by me, though I'm not the person you originally responded to.
    - BobbyJo 3y ago
      > A larger composite (which contains a brain) can not qualify by the very nature of the proposition put forth Personally don't see how this follows. "There is no larger circle than this ball bearing!" "What about the wheel it's used in?" "That's tautological!"
      - anonymouskimmer 3y ago

logdap 3y ago

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