Mixing
Sentient colonial organisms?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Question: Could colonial organisms form into a sentient being, something like a human, for example? Could they evolve into beings with thoughts and feelings? A race of colonial organisms taking the form of humans would be interesting... but I'm not sure if its plausible.
PS: by 'colonial organism' I dont mean ants, (This type of question has been asked before), I mean siphonophore (this is just an example, I don't mean colonial organisms that are aquatic, specifically) type organisms, like the Portuguese man of war.
Could a human-like sentient being made of these type of organisms exist?
science-based evolution fantasy-races
edited 4 hours ago
ckersch
36.4k894174
asked 5 hours ago
Uncertainty
898
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Question: Could colonial organisms form into a sentient being, something like a human, for example? Could they evolve into beings with thoughts and feelings? A race of colonial organisms taking the form of humans would be interesting... but I'm not sure if its plausible.
PS: by 'colonial organism' I dont mean ants, (This type of question has been asked before), I mean siphonophore (this is just an example, I don't mean colonial organisms that are aquatic, specifically) type organisms, like the Portuguese man of war.
Could a human-like sentient being made of these type of organisms exist?
science-based evolution fantasy-races
edited 4 hours ago
ckersch
36.4k894174
asked 5 hours ago
Uncertainty
898
The short answer would be no. Not with the complexity of humans and to the degree of plausibility you require. If you want something less science based and more "fantasy-y" I think we could elaborate more.
– Faed
4 hours ago
yea, i mean more fantasy esc
– Uncertainty
4 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
Question: Could colonial organisms form into a sentient being, something like a human, for example? Could they evolve into beings with thoughts and feelings? A race of colonial organisms taking the form of humans would be interesting... but I'm not sure if its plausible.
PS: by 'colonial organism' I dont mean ants, (This type of question has been asked before), I mean siphonophore (this is just an example, I don't mean colonial organisms that are aquatic, specifically) type organisms, like the Portuguese man of war.
Could a human-like sentient being made of these type of organisms exist?
science-based evolution fantasy-races
edited 4 hours ago
ckersch
36.4k894174
asked 5 hours ago
Uncertainty
898
Question: Could colonial organisms form into a sentient being, something like a human, for example? Could they evolve into beings with thoughts and feelings? A race of colonial organisms taking the form of humans would be interesting... but I'm not sure if its plausible.
PS: by 'colonial organism' I dont mean ants, (This type of question has been asked before), I mean siphonophore (this is just an example, I don't mean colonial organisms that are aquatic, specifically) type organisms, like the Portuguese man of war.
Could a human-like sentient being made of these type of organisms exist?
science-based evolution fantasy-races
science-based evolution fantasy-races
edited 4 hours ago
ckersch
36.4k894174
asked 5 hours ago
Uncertainty
898
edited 4 hours ago
ckersch
36.4k894174
asked 5 hours ago
Uncertainty
898
edited 4 hours ago
ckersch
36.4k894174
edited 4 hours ago
ckersch
36.4k894174
edited 4 hours ago
ckersch
36.4k894174
36.4k894174
asked 5 hours ago
Uncertainty
898
asked 5 hours ago
Uncertainty
898
asked 5 hours ago
Uncertainty
898
898
The short answer would be no. Not with the complexity of humans and to the degree of plausibility you require. If you want something less science based and more "fantasy-y" I think we could elaborate more.
– Faed
4 hours ago
yea, i mean more fantasy esc
– Uncertainty
4 hours ago
add a comment |Â
The short answer would be no. Not with the complexity of humans and to the degree of plausibility you require. If you want something less science based and more "fantasy-y" I think we could elaborate more.
– Faed
4 hours ago
yea, i mean more fantasy esc
– Uncertainty
4 hours ago
The short answer would be no. Not with the complexity of humans and to the degree of plausibility you require. If you want something less science based and more "fantasy-y" I think we could elaborate more.
– Faed
4 hours ago
The short answer would be no. Not with the complexity of humans and to the degree of plausibility you require. If you want something less science based and more "fantasy-y" I think we could elaborate more.
– Faed
4 hours ago
yea, i mean more fantasy esc
– Uncertainty
4 hours ago
yea, i mean more fantasy esc
– Uncertainty
4 hours ago
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
I don’t see why not.
Colonial organisms, or at least the example you gave in the siphonophores, aren’t really all that different from more complex multicellular organisms. Both types of organism arise from a single egg cell which divides to generate the rest of the organism. In both organisms the constituent parts, cells or zooids, differentiate from each other in other in order to perform specific functions. In complex animals we have thousands of different cell types that all work together. The colonial organisms are generally somewhat simpler with a few different types of zooids specialized for feeding, defense, reproduction, and movement. But I don’t see any reason why colonial organisms can’t become just as complex as multicellular organisms can. One might imagine a colonial organism that developed a zooid that served a function analogous to our nerve cells. Carrying messages and signals throughout the organism and potentially synthesizing and networking those signals into what we refer to as intelligence.
answered 4 hours ago
Mike Nichols
7,49652766
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
We can't say it's impossible, but we also have no examples in our planet. So we are stuck with speculation.
There are philosophers who believe that sentience and consciousness (which is something different, but also interesting) are emergent properties of the brain. Some scientists are looking into this, though it seems at the moment that we might be unable to ever satisfactorily gather evidence for it.
Supposing it is, it is no stretch for an artificial system to be sentient. And if such an A.I. is running on a distributed system over a network, it will be a colonial mind. And it may build a host of humanoid bodies for itself. This has appeared in literature in the form of the Geth people. Each Geth physical body is actually a server holding thousands to billions of minds that act like a colony.
If such a complex system exists due to distributed computation, there is little to no reason why a natural system could not evolve in a similar way. Again, literature presents this in a work of art: Arthur C. Clarke's Rama series of books has a species that is a sentient colonial fungus. This fungus sometimes lays "eggs" out of which come some furry creatures, which are its children in a solitary (i.e.: non-colonial) generation (just like some coelenterates have alternating generations). The solitary furry animals are the same species as the fungal colony and can telepathically commune with it, and act as the fungus's avatars.
Another instance of this is the fungus called Planet in Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri. It covers the whole planet and absorbs other beings into both of its mass and conscience. Late in the story it joins with some humans in mind only, with the human bodies serving as Planet's avatars.
answered 4 hours ago
Renan
37.3k1185188
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
I am pretty sure that multi-cell organisms have evolved from colonial ones. So it could be possible.
But it would be a lot harder. Humans and other advanced organisms have extreme specialization between their cells, and I bet this specialization might not be possible if every cell is supposed to be same, or at least be able to change to any other role.
I think a colony organism can act as a brain given that is has enough nutrient available to let some cells focus on information processing rather than food gathering. But those pseudo-neurons will be a lot less efficient than dedicated real neurons of multi-cell organism, so your intelligent colonial will be the size of an elephant, but have intellect of a bee.
Also, I really do not see how a colonial can develop conventional skeleton. Perhaps it can just absorb rocks or sticks into its body, and glue them with secretions of its cells.
answered 2 hours ago
Bald Bear
4,872519
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
I don’t see why not.
Colonial organisms, or at least the example you gave in the siphonophores, aren’t really all that different from more complex multicellular organisms. Both types of organism arise from a single egg cell which divides to generate the rest of the organism. In both organisms the constituent parts, cells or zooids, differentiate from each other in other in order to perform specific functions. In complex animals we have thousands of different cell types that all work together. The colonial organisms are generally somewhat simpler with a few different types of zooids specialized for feeding, defense, reproduction, and movement. But I don’t see any reason why colonial organisms can’t become just as complex as multicellular organisms can. One might imagine a colonial organism that developed a zooid that served a function analogous to our nerve cells. Carrying messages and signals throughout the organism and potentially synthesizing and networking those signals into what we refer to as intelligence.
answered 4 hours ago
Mike Nichols
7,49652766
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
I don’t see why not.
Colonial organisms, or at least the example you gave in the siphonophores, aren’t really all that different from more complex multicellular organisms. Both types of organism arise from a single egg cell which divides to generate the rest of the organism. In both organisms the constituent parts, cells or zooids, differentiate from each other in other in order to perform specific functions. In complex animals we have thousands of different cell types that all work together. The colonial organisms are generally somewhat simpler with a few different types of zooids specialized for feeding, defense, reproduction, and movement. But I don’t see any reason why colonial organisms can’t become just as complex as multicellular organisms can. One might imagine a colonial organism that developed a zooid that served a function analogous to our nerve cells. Carrying messages and signals throughout the organism and potentially synthesizing and networking those signals into what we refer to as intelligence.
answered 4 hours ago
Mike Nichols
7,49652766
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
I don’t see why not.
Colonial organisms, or at least the example you gave in the siphonophores, aren’t really all that different from more complex multicellular organisms. Both types of organism arise from a single egg cell which divides to generate the rest of the organism. In both organisms the constituent parts, cells or zooids, differentiate from each other in other in order to perform specific functions. In complex animals we have thousands of different cell types that all work together. The colonial organisms are generally somewhat simpler with a few different types of zooids specialized for feeding, defense, reproduction, and movement. But I don’t see any reason why colonial organisms can’t become just as complex as multicellular organisms can. One might imagine a colonial organism that developed a zooid that served a function analogous to our nerve cells. Carrying messages and signals throughout the organism and potentially synthesizing and networking those signals into what we refer to as intelligence.
answered 4 hours ago
Mike Nichols
7,49652766
I don’t see why not.
Colonial organisms, or at least the example you gave in the siphonophores, aren’t really all that different from more complex multicellular organisms. Both types of organism arise from a single egg cell which divides to generate the rest of the organism. In both organisms the constituent parts, cells or zooids, differentiate from each other in other in order to perform specific functions. In complex animals we have thousands of different cell types that all work together. The colonial organisms are generally somewhat simpler with a few different types of zooids specialized for feeding, defense, reproduction, and movement. But I don’t see any reason why colonial organisms can’t become just as complex as multicellular organisms can. One might imagine a colonial organism that developed a zooid that served a function analogous to our nerve cells. Carrying messages and signals throughout the organism and potentially synthesizing and networking those signals into what we refer to as intelligence.
answered 4 hours ago
Mike Nichols
7,49652766
answered 4 hours ago
Mike Nichols
7,49652766
answered 4 hours ago
Mike Nichols
7,49652766
answered 4 hours ago
Mike Nichols
7,49652766
7,49652766
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
We can't say it's impossible, but we also have no examples in our planet. So we are stuck with speculation.
There are philosophers who believe that sentience and consciousness (which is something different, but also interesting) are emergent properties of the brain. Some scientists are looking into this, though it seems at the moment that we might be unable to ever satisfactorily gather evidence for it.
Supposing it is, it is no stretch for an artificial system to be sentient. And if such an A.I. is running on a distributed system over a network, it will be a colonial mind. And it may build a host of humanoid bodies for itself. This has appeared in literature in the form of the Geth people. Each Geth physical body is actually a server holding thousands to billions of minds that act like a colony.
If such a complex system exists due to distributed computation, there is little to no reason why a natural system could not evolve in a similar way. Again, literature presents this in a work of art: Arthur C. Clarke's Rama series of books has a species that is a sentient colonial fungus. This fungus sometimes lays "eggs" out of which come some furry creatures, which are its children in a solitary (i.e.: non-colonial) generation (just like some coelenterates have alternating generations). The solitary furry animals are the same species as the fungal colony and can telepathically commune with it, and act as the fungus's avatars.
Another instance of this is the fungus called Planet in Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri. It covers the whole planet and absorbs other beings into both of its mass and conscience. Late in the story it joins with some humans in mind only, with the human bodies serving as Planet's avatars.
answered 4 hours ago
Renan
37.3k1185188
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
We can't say it's impossible, but we also have no examples in our planet. So we are stuck with speculation.
There are philosophers who believe that sentience and consciousness (which is something different, but also interesting) are emergent properties of the brain. Some scientists are looking into this, though it seems at the moment that we might be unable to ever satisfactorily gather evidence for it.
Supposing it is, it is no stretch for an artificial system to be sentient. And if such an A.I. is running on a distributed system over a network, it will be a colonial mind. And it may build a host of humanoid bodies for itself. This has appeared in literature in the form of the Geth people. Each Geth physical body is actually a server holding thousands to billions of minds that act like a colony.
If such a complex system exists due to distributed computation, there is little to no reason why a natural system could not evolve in a similar way. Again, literature presents this in a work of art: Arthur C. Clarke's Rama series of books has a species that is a sentient colonial fungus. This fungus sometimes lays "eggs" out of which come some furry creatures, which are its children in a solitary (i.e.: non-colonial) generation (just like some coelenterates have alternating generations). The solitary furry animals are the same species as the fungal colony and can telepathically commune with it, and act as the fungus's avatars.
Another instance of this is the fungus called Planet in Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri. It covers the whole planet and absorbs other beings into both of its mass and conscience. Late in the story it joins with some humans in mind only, with the human bodies serving as Planet's avatars.
answered 4 hours ago
Renan
37.3k1185188
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
We can't say it's impossible, but we also have no examples in our planet. So we are stuck with speculation.
There are philosophers who believe that sentience and consciousness (which is something different, but also interesting) are emergent properties of the brain. Some scientists are looking into this, though it seems at the moment that we might be unable to ever satisfactorily gather evidence for it.
Supposing it is, it is no stretch for an artificial system to be sentient. And if such an A.I. is running on a distributed system over a network, it will be a colonial mind. And it may build a host of humanoid bodies for itself. This has appeared in literature in the form of the Geth people. Each Geth physical body is actually a server holding thousands to billions of minds that act like a colony.
If such a complex system exists due to distributed computation, there is little to no reason why a natural system could not evolve in a similar way. Again, literature presents this in a work of art: Arthur C. Clarke's Rama series of books has a species that is a sentient colonial fungus. This fungus sometimes lays "eggs" out of which come some furry creatures, which are its children in a solitary (i.e.: non-colonial) generation (just like some coelenterates have alternating generations). The solitary furry animals are the same species as the fungal colony and can telepathically commune with it, and act as the fungus's avatars.
Another instance of this is the fungus called Planet in Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri. It covers the whole planet and absorbs other beings into both of its mass and conscience. Late in the story it joins with some humans in mind only, with the human bodies serving as Planet's avatars.
answered 4 hours ago
Renan
37.3k1185188
We can't say it's impossible, but we also have no examples in our planet. So we are stuck with speculation.
There are philosophers who believe that sentience and consciousness (which is something different, but also interesting) are emergent properties of the brain. Some scientists are looking into this, though it seems at the moment that we might be unable to ever satisfactorily gather evidence for it.
Supposing it is, it is no stretch for an artificial system to be sentient. And if such an A.I. is running on a distributed system over a network, it will be a colonial mind. And it may build a host of humanoid bodies for itself. This has appeared in literature in the form of the Geth people. Each Geth physical body is actually a server holding thousands to billions of minds that act like a colony.
If such a complex system exists due to distributed computation, there is little to no reason why a natural system could not evolve in a similar way. Again, literature presents this in a work of art: Arthur C. Clarke's Rama series of books has a species that is a sentient colonial fungus. This fungus sometimes lays "eggs" out of which come some furry creatures, which are its children in a solitary (i.e.: non-colonial) generation (just like some coelenterates have alternating generations). The solitary furry animals are the same species as the fungal colony and can telepathically commune with it, and act as the fungus's avatars.
Another instance of this is the fungus called Planet in Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri. It covers the whole planet and absorbs other beings into both of its mass and conscience. Late in the story it joins with some humans in mind only, with the human bodies serving as Planet's avatars.
answered 4 hours ago
Renan
37.3k1185188
answered 4 hours ago
Renan
37.3k1185188
answered 4 hours ago
Renan
37.3k1185188
answered 4 hours ago
Renan
37.3k1185188
37.3k1185188
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
I am pretty sure that multi-cell organisms have evolved from colonial ones. So it could be possible.
But it would be a lot harder. Humans and other advanced organisms have extreme specialization between their cells, and I bet this specialization might not be possible if every cell is supposed to be same, or at least be able to change to any other role.
I think a colony organism can act as a brain given that is has enough nutrient available to let some cells focus on information processing rather than food gathering. But those pseudo-neurons will be a lot less efficient than dedicated real neurons of multi-cell organism, so your intelligent colonial will be the size of an elephant, but have intellect of a bee.
Also, I really do not see how a colonial can develop conventional skeleton. Perhaps it can just absorb rocks or sticks into its body, and glue them with secretions of its cells.
answered 2 hours ago
Bald Bear
4,872519
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
I am pretty sure that multi-cell organisms have evolved from colonial ones. So it could be possible.
But it would be a lot harder. Humans and other advanced organisms have extreme specialization between their cells, and I bet this specialization might not be possible if every cell is supposed to be same, or at least be able to change to any other role.
I think a colony organism can act as a brain given that is has enough nutrient available to let some cells focus on information processing rather than food gathering. But those pseudo-neurons will be a lot less efficient than dedicated real neurons of multi-cell organism, so your intelligent colonial will be the size of an elephant, but have intellect of a bee.
Also, I really do not see how a colonial can develop conventional skeleton. Perhaps it can just absorb rocks or sticks into its body, and glue them with secretions of its cells.
answered 2 hours ago
Bald Bear
4,872519
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
I am pretty sure that multi-cell organisms have evolved from colonial ones. So it could be possible.
But it would be a lot harder. Humans and other advanced organisms have extreme specialization between their cells, and I bet this specialization might not be possible if every cell is supposed to be same, or at least be able to change to any other role.
I think a colony organism can act as a brain given that is has enough nutrient available to let some cells focus on information processing rather than food gathering. But those pseudo-neurons will be a lot less efficient than dedicated real neurons of multi-cell organism, so your intelligent colonial will be the size of an elephant, but have intellect of a bee.
Also, I really do not see how a colonial can develop conventional skeleton. Perhaps it can just absorb rocks or sticks into its body, and glue them with secretions of its cells.
answered 2 hours ago
Bald Bear
4,872519
I am pretty sure that multi-cell organisms have evolved from colonial ones. So it could be possible.
But it would be a lot harder. Humans and other advanced organisms have extreme specialization between their cells, and I bet this specialization might not be possible if every cell is supposed to be same, or at least be able to change to any other role.
I think a colony organism can act as a brain given that is has enough nutrient available to let some cells focus on information processing rather than food gathering. But those pseudo-neurons will be a lot less efficient than dedicated real neurons of multi-cell organism, so your intelligent colonial will be the size of an elephant, but have intellect of a bee.
Also, I really do not see how a colonial can develop conventional skeleton. Perhaps it can just absorb rocks or sticks into its body, and glue them with secretions of its cells.
answered 2 hours ago
Bald Bear
4,872519
answered 2 hours ago
Bald Bear
4,872519
answered 2 hours ago
Bald Bear
4,872519
answered 2 hours ago
Bald Bear
4,872519
4,872519
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworldbuilding.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f128512%2fsentient-colonial-organisms%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
The short answer would be no. Not with the complexity of humans and to the degree of plausibility you require. If you want something less science based and more "fantasy-y" I think we could elaborate more.
– Faed
4 hours ago
yea, i mean more fantasy esc
– Uncertainty
4 hours ago