On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 2:43:26 AM UTC-5, jessem wrote: > > > > On Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 11:27 PM, Pierz <[email protected] <javascript:>>wrote: > >> Really Craig? It invalidates mechanistic assumptions about eyes? I'm sure >> the researchers would be astonished at such a wild conclusion. All the >> research shows is brain plasticity in interpreting signals from unusual >> neural pathways. How does that invalidate mechanism? >> > > Yes, I was confused at first by the statement in the first paragraph that > the eyes "can confer vision without a direct neural connection to the > brain" (maybe Craig was confused by this too?), but it seems that by > "direct neural connection" they just mean an optic nerve wired directly to > the brain, bypassing the spinal cord like the optic nerve normally does, > since later in the article they do mention the eyes were connected > (indirectly) to the brain via the spinal cord: "No one would have guessed > that eyes on the flank of a tadpole could see, especially when wired only > to the spinal cord and not the brain." > > Jesse >
I don't think it was confusing, just that it suggests that biological sensory systems are robust and independent, not relying on a single fragile mechanism that has evolved. Craig > > >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Everything List" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected] <javascript:>. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]<javascript:> >> . >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >> >> >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
