
Is there a ceiling on what our brains can understand? - anthilemoon
https://waitbutwhy.com/table/intelligence-ceiling
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leblancfg
Humanity is periodically faced with the fact that it is not special [0] and
that it lives on an insignificant little blue planet [1]. I don't see that
trend changing anytime soon.

What comes to mind of course is Artificial General Intelligence, or AGI.
Although I only believe in _eventual_ AGI many years from now, I think it's
very interesting to foresee the potential impacts of a machine sitting on the
step above in that ladder. See Nick Bostrom's Superintelligence [2], a great
read.

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[0]:
[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HumansAreSpecial](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HumansAreSpecial)

[1]:
[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InsignificantLit...](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InsignificantLittleBluePlanet)

[2]:
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20527133-superintelligen...](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20527133-superintelligence)

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maxander
If there are things we can't conceptually comprehend, then definitionally we
_don 't understand what they are_, so of course we can't answer this question.
We won't know one way or another unless we consult with something a step or
more "above us on the scale" and they tell us.

(And even then- how do we judge if something is "above" us? Chimps would have
about as much trouble understanding IQ or the even the abstract notion of
"intelligence" as they do skyscrapers, I'd imagine.)

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powerbroker
Assume, that the universe is finite. Assume further, that there is a finite
way for matter and X number of forces to interact. Assume that there is a
quantifiable range over which uncertainties of electron positions (and other
matter) can be, when down to the quantum level. Given these assumptions, the
only thing that stops us (all of our brains) from modeling the universe and
all within it, is the span of our lifetime(s).

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lurquer
I don't understand the question.

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ncmncm
"Yes"

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rafaelvasco
In my opinion, absolutely. Our brains are incredible machines, but they're
still limited physically. The limit is much higher than we think it is today,
as expressed by several cases of enhanced sensorial perception, like remote
viewing, as disclosed in CIA papers for example. But it's still limited;

