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> The findings challenge the assumption that higher intelligence is the result of a faster brain. They suggest that faster is not necessarily better, and that u

> The findings challenge the assumption that higher intelligence is the result of a faster brain. They suggest that faster is not necessarily better, and that under certain circumstances there is a tradeoff between speed and accuracy which results in better decisions. Talk about conflating different aspects of something to arrive at faulty logic. There clearly is a relationship between higher intelligence and a faster brain, to some degree. However faster thinking enables more sophisticated searching of complex problem spaces.

s1artibartfast 3y ago
>There clearly is a relationship between higher intelligence and a faster brain, to some degree. However faster thinking enables more sophisticated searching of complex problem spaces. I don't think that's clear at all. The confusion is around different definitions of speed and different definitions of the task. You have the speed to process data points or variables, and the speed to come to a result. You also have the number of variables used to calculate a result and the number of variables needed to come to a result. It is reasonable to believe that some brains can process the same data faster than others. It is also reasonable to believe that some brains consider more variables than others. However, more variables is not always better. You can process faster, and include more variables, but still perform worse overall if you are using too many unecessary variables. In terms of computing, an example would be multiplying 2x2. A slower computer can give you a result faster if it is representing 2 as a 2-bit number than a faster computer representing it as a 64-bit number
- david38 3y ago
  I think of it as a computer with moderately fast registers but horribly slow main memory. In this case, more registers would clearly show a win. BUT a more organized person would eventually win as the number of variables grow. Hence why systems and habits beat out raw intelligence on general life success, but why an intelligent person lives a simple life on easy mode and why those at the (uninherited) top are often scary smart AND hard core driven and organized.
  - s1artibartfast 3y ago
    I basically agree. I would only add that some computers are simply incapable of performing a sufficiently complicated computation given their hardware and programing. Similarly, some computers with more limited hardware and programming can be more efficient at certian classes of computations.
pazimzadeh 3y ago
Faster thinking allows to you brute force problems, which means you may not look for a more elegant solution because you don't need to. Like how Von Neumann was able to solve the fly and trains problem the hard way instead of finding the simple solution: https://www.pleacher.com/mp/mlessons/calculus/mobinfin.html https://www.pleacher.com/mp/mlessons/calculus/mobinfin.html
- deleted 3y ago
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- MisterPea 3y ago
  While I agree I think Von Nuemann is the worst example to use in any topic about intelligence. He's not really like the rest of us

s1artibartfast 3y ago

>There clearly is a relationship between higher intelligence and a faster brain, to some degree. However faster thinking enables more sophisticated searching of complex problem spaces. I don't think that's clear at all. The confusion is around different definitions of speed and different definitions of the task. You have the speed to process data points or variables, and the speed to come to a result. You also have the number of variables used to calculate a result and the number of variables needed to come to a result. It is reasonable to believe that some brains can process the same data faster than others. It is also reasonable to believe that some brains consider more variables than others. However, more variables is not always better. You can process faster, and include more variables, but still perform worse overall if you are using too many unecessary variables. In terms of computing, an example would be multiplying 2x2. A slower computer can give you a result faster if it is representing 2 as a 2-bit number than a faster computer representing it as a 64-bit number

david38 3y ago
I think of it as a computer with moderately fast registers but horribly slow main memory. In this case, more registers would clearly show a win. BUT a more organized person would eventually win as the number of variables grow. Hence why systems and habits beat out raw intelligence on general life success, but why an intelligent person lives a simple life on easy mode and why those at the (uninherited) top are often scary smart AND hard core driven and organized.
- s1artibartfast 3y ago
  I basically agree. I would only add that some computers are simply incapable of performing a sufficiently complicated computation given their hardware and programing. Similarly, some computers with more limited hardware and programming can be more efficient at certian classes of computations.

pazimzadeh 3y ago

Faster thinking allows to you brute force problems, which means you may not look for a more elegant solution because you don't need to. Like how Von Neumann was able to solve the fly and trains problem the hard way instead of finding the simple solution: https://www.pleacher.com/mp/mlessons/calculus/mobinfin.html https://www.pleacher.com/mp/mlessons/calculus/mobinfin.html

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
MisterPea 3y ago
While I agree I think Von Nuemann is the worst example to use in any topic about intelligence. He's not really like the rest of us