Author: Gerd Doeben-Henisch
Changelog: Feb 18, 2025 – Feb 20, 2025
Email: info@uffmm.org
TRANSLATION: The following text is a translation from a German version into English. For the translation I am using the software @chatGPT4o with manual modifications.
CONTENT TREE
This text is part of the TOPIC Philosophy of Science.
CONTEXT
This is another intermediate reflection to structurally clarify the concepts of ‘intelligence’ and ‘learning’. This is an analytical proposal. This and the preceding intermediate reflection are intended as a ‘supplement’ to the main thread of the text project ‘What is Life?’
- “WHAT IS LIFE? WHAT ROLE DO WE PLAY? IST THERE A FUTURE?”
- “WHAT IS LIFE? … DEMOCRACY – CITIZENS”
- WHAT IS LIFE? … PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE
- WHAT IS LIFE? … If life is ‘More,’ ‘much more’ …
- WHAT IS LIFE – GRAMMAR OF SURVIVAL. Focus: Homo sapiens … (not yet finished)
INTRODUCTION
In the last insert titled “INSERTION: A Brief History of the Concept of Intelligence and Its Future” a short historical overview illustrated that (i) the concept of ‘intelligence’ has undergone significant change since antiquity and remains notably ‘under defined’ to this day. Additionally, since the fall of 2022, (ii) there has been a surge in the use of a new type of technical (non-biological) intelligence, whose relationship to biological intelligence remains entirely unresolved. One key reason for this is that the concept of ‘biological intelligence’—aside from a few isolated attempts at clarification—remains largely undefined. Furthermore, (iii) in light of the new ‘dynamic perspective on life’ on this planet, there is growing evidence that currently known forms of non-biological (technical) intelligence cannot in any way replace essential properties of biological intelligence. This follows directly from the fundamental structure of biological systems, even without considering many details. As an initial outline for a more precise definition of the concept of ‘biological intelligence,’ (iv) it becomes apparent that biological intelligence is not a fixed entity but rather an emergent property of a process, allowing for continuous evolution—individually, collectively, and technologically.
Note: The term process is understood here in the sense of Text No. 4 (see the list above): If one breaks down the temporal course of an event (e.g., everyday life) into segments (time slices) and considers all the changes that occur from one segment to the next, one can also say that a successor segment emerges from a predecessor segment precisely through these changes. As long as an event can be described in this way as a sequence of segments (time slices) governed by changes, it shall be understood here as a process. The property of a process can then not be described in isolation but only as a momentary property within an ongoing change, which is in flux and has neither an absolute beginning nor an absolute end. Furthermore, many changes can occur simultaneously and may influence each other in multiple ways.
BIOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE NEEDS LEARNING. Structural Analysis
As the term ‘biological intelligence’ already suggests, the rather undefined concept of ‘intelligence’ is considered here in the context of life.
In previous reflections, ‘life’ has appeared as a ‘dynamic phenomenon’ whose processual progression can be approximately described using ‘time slices’ (see Text No. 4).
In a ‘psychological perspective,’ individual manifestations of life in the form of ‘distinguishable living beings’ are attributed the ‘property of intelligence’ when a single living being in a given time slice Z1 is required to ‘solve a task’ and, after a finite number of further time slices, has indeed ‘changed the state of time slice Z1’ to the extent that a ‘new state’ has emerged, which is part of the then-current time slice. ‘Judges’ then determine whether this new state is ‘correct’ or ‘not correct.’ (Note: A ‘state’ is the totality of distinguishable phenomena that can be observed within a time slice.)
For example, if the task were “How do you complete the text ‘3+4=’?”, then in certain cultural contexts, the transformation of ‘3+4=’ into ‘3+4=7’ would be considered a ‘correct solution.’ Any deviation from this would be ‘incorrect.’ However, it is easy to imagine other cultural systems where the solution ‘3+4=7’ would not be correct, and instead, ‘3+4=13’ would be.
Even this simple example demonstrates that the question of the ‘correctness’ of a formulation presupposes that the participants operate within a ‘cognitive framework’ that defines what is ‘allowed’ and what is not. If, as in the example ‘3+4=7,’ we assume a decimal number system with the digits [0,…,9], then the answer is ‘correct.’ However, if we assume instead a quaternary (base-4) system with the digits [0,…,3], then ‘3+4=7’ cannot be correct because the digit ‘7’ does not exist in a base-4 system. Any sum exceeding ‘3’ would lead to a ‘positional shift’: ‘3+1=10, 3+2=11, 3+3=12, 3+4=13, …’
At this point, we could therefore formulate: To test for the presence of the property of ‘intelligence’ in a biological system, a ‘task’ is set, and we observe whether the biological system, in ‘response to the task,’ generates a ‘new situation’ that includes elements recognized as a ‘correct solution.’ A simple form of ‘correctness assessment’ could involve a direct comparison to verify correctness. For situations that are ‘more complex’ because they require ‘knowledge and experience’ that cannot be assumed to be present in all participants, the role of a ‘judge’ becomes necessary. This judge is someone whom all assume to be capable—based on their knowledge and experience—of determining whether a ‘new situation, within the assumed framework,’ should be classified as ‘correct’ or ‘not correct.’
Intelligence Needs Learning
The simple example above already illustrates that it makes sense to distinguish between the ‘property of intelligence’ as something ‘available’ and the ‘acquisition of intelligence.’ If one knows the ‘framework’ that defines and regulates how certain numerical symbols are used, then responding correctly to a ‘task’ is easy. However, if one does not yet know this framework, responding is impossible!
Learning Requires a Brain
In the case of ‘biological agents’ of the type Homo sapiens, we know that the foundation of behavior is the ‘brain.’ Although this ‘brain’ possesses a wide range of ‘automatic knowledge’ from birth, an individual agent must ‘learn’ nearly all details in order to navigate the highly dynamic environment (including their own body) effectively. It is precisely these ‘learning processes’ that equip the brain for various tasks, enabling it to produce the ‘required response’ at the decisive moment when a task demands it.
The ‘Miracle’ of Intelligence
The ‘miracle of intelligence’ lies not so much in the fact that a specific ‘agent’ provides the ‘expected correct answer’ to a given task, but rather in the brain’s ability to internally construct appropriate ‘structures’ and ‘transformation rules’ in response to a dynamic environment (including its own body!). These internal models provide the ‘clues’ needed to generate behavior that is considered ‘adequate’ or ‘correct’ in a given situation.
Even though we now understand that the ‘material composition of the brain’ can affect the speed and precision of ‘learning processes,’ this is not a fundamental obstacle to learning in general. Moreover, it has been observed that humans develop highly diverse ‘cognitive profiles’: some struggle with ‘languages’ but excel in ‘formal thinking’ or ‘abstract (not necessarily formal) reasoning,’ while others are particularly skilled in ‘visual and auditory processing,’ ‘physical coordination,’ and much more. Additionally, a wide range of ‘emotions’ plays a crucial role in the success of learning processes.
The key takeaway is that any form of ‘acquired’ intelligence—understood as the ability to respond appropriately to situational properties—is not available without learning.
Learning as an ‘Educational Process’ (for Intelligence and Beyond)
Looking back at the first reliable intelligence test [1] by Alfred Binet (1857–1911) and Théodore Simon (1873–1961), the ‘context’ of their efforts was clear: measuring ‘intelligence’ was not about capturing something ‘fixed or static’ but rather about assessing the ‘current states of knowledge and experience’ of students—states that could change! The tests were intended solely to help students ‘where they still had gaps.’
[1] Keyword Binet-Simon Test: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binet-Simon_Intelligence_Test
However, Binet and Simon’s awareness of the ‘dynamic nature of intelligence’ was gradually overshadowed by researchers like William Stern (1871–1938), Lewis M. Terman (1877–1956), and David W. Wechsler (1896–1981), who shifted the focus toward viewing intelligence as a ‘fixed structure’ that could be measured and used to ‘classify people.’ This perspective aligned with the prevailing tendency in educational systems to treat ‘assumed intelligence’ as something ‘given’ rather than fostering the ‘potential intelligence’ of individuals.
This development has taken on almost ‘tragic dimensions’: Schools increasingly ‘train’ children for tests instead of fostering their cognitive development. The natural curiosity and creative intelligence of children are often stifled as a result. This creates a kind of ‘negative feedback loop’: Teachers teach what is tested, students learn what is rewarded—true learning fades into the background.
[2] A very striking analysis of this topic can be found in the book The Mismeasure of Man by Stephen Jay Gould in the revised and expanded edition of 1996.
Learning, Society, and Goals
If we assume that ‘intelligence’ is generally a product of ‘learning processes’ (though the nature of individual bodies and brains influences these processes), and if learning does not occur in a ‘vacuum’ but within the concrete context of ‘everyday life,’ which is part of a specific ‘society,’ then every learning process will inevitably be ‘shaped’ by the available context.
For a society as a whole, its ‘survival’ may depend on whether ‘future generations’ acquire precisely the skills needed in a given phase of life.
Looking at what different societies do for their educational processes—and how they do it—one must seriously question whether these societies truly possess a ‘will to live’—not just on an individual level, but as a thriving collective.