All animals have brains. We just have different brain that are useful for different reasons. Brains are something we evolved to have. Our cousins from millions of years ago, also had brains, but they would have been very different to now.
A brain is just a central control computer for a the body of a person or animal. How complicated the brain is depends on what the body needs to do. If finding food is difficult, if staying safe or finding a partner is difficult or if problem solving makes it more likely for you not to die, then you will probably have a better life with a complex brain. If you’re life is simple, like that of a cow, your brain can be smaller.
Brians control everything we do, even the stuff we dont have to think about like breathing and keeping our heart beating. All living things have the need for this type of computer control system, but for things like plants, it just doesn’t happen in something we call a brain.
Mick’s answer is great. If a better brain (intelligence) gives you an advantage, smarter people will (on average) live longer and have more children, so there is selection for smarter people. Over thousands of years, that means on average we will get smarter
All animals have brains. We just have different brain that are useful for different reasons. Brains are something we evolved to have. Our cousins from millions of years ago, also had brains, but they would have been very different to now.
A brain is just a central control computer for a the body of a person or animal. How complicated the brain is depends on what the body needs to do. If finding food is difficult, if staying safe or finding a partner is difficult or if problem solving makes it more likely for you not to die, then you will probably have a better life with a complex brain. If you’re life is simple, like that of a cow, your brain can be smaller.
Brians control everything we do, even the stuff we dont have to think about like breathing and keeping our heart beating. All living things have the need for this type of computer control system, but for things like plants, it just doesn’t happen in something we call a brain.
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@baileymymie8: Mick’s answer is really good. Darnit! 🙂
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Mick’s answer is great. If a better brain (intelligence) gives you an advantage, smarter people will (on average) live longer and have more children, so there is selection for smarter people. Over thousands of years, that means on average we will get smarter
1