From both a genetic and physiological perspective, the brain neurons of mice and whales are very similar to that of a human and wales have a 6x larger brain than humans.
When it concerns the question: what makes a whale brain different from that of a human? (why is a human more intelligent), the answer of science has been "cortical neurons" (grey matter).
In the following example of an article from 2016, the conclusion is that a human brain is more intelligent than that of an elephant because of cortical neurons.More specifically, higher intelligence has been associated with larger cortical grey matter in the prefrontal and posterior temporal cortex in adults (cortical neurons).
The Paradox of the Elephant Brain
So what do we have that no other animal has? A remarkable number of neurons in the cerebral cortex (cortical neurons), the largest around, attainable by no other species, I say.
https://nautil.us/issue/35/boundaries/t ... hant-brain
A study in 2019 showed that killer whales have more of those cortical neurons than humans, and that they have them for millions of years longer, with more advanced brain structures as a result. This was only discovered recently. Before a few years ago, it was not known that whales also have those neurons.
Humpbacks have humanlike brain cells (spindle cortical neurons)The killer whale has more gray matter and more cortical neurons than any mammal, including humans.
Humpback whales and killer whales have a type of brain cell seen only in humans, researchers reported on Monday.
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15920224
Whales boast the brain cells that 'make us human'
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn ... -us-human/
Are whales deep thinkers?
From a neurobiology perspective, the brain of some whales and dolphins is 'more advanced' and 'better equipped' for the task of which science believes that it is the origin of human emotions and intelligence (conscious experience).Whale and dolphin brains contain specialized brain cells called spindle neurons. These are associated with advanced abilities such as recognising, remembering, reasoning, communicating, perceiving, adapting to change, problem-solving and understanding. So it seems they are deep thinkers! Not only that, but the part of their brain which processes emotions (limbic system) appears to be more complex than our own.
In a recent topic it was discussed that there are people with merely 5-10% brain tissue that manage to live a normal and healthy life with a wife, children and a job, or to have a high IQ and complete an academic degree.
Consciousness without a brain?
"Any theory of consciousness has to be able to explain why a person like that, who's missing 90 percent of his neurons, still exhibits normal behaviour," Axel Cleeremans, a professor philosophy of cognitive science from the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium"
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=16742
Considering that the brain neurons in whales and humans are almost the same and they have more of the neurons correlated with 'human intelligence', why are whales not 6x as smart as humans?
As it appears, the brain is merely an instrument and what it is that makes use of the potential provided by the brain, is something else. In humans with merely 5% brain tissue, that 'human origin' manages to keep up and perform quite well, while in whales, 6x as much brain neurons is used for 'being whale'.
Questions:
1) when the brain of a whale is compared with that of a human, what can explain that a human is 'more intelligent' than a whale?
2) what theory could explain human intelligence when the 'origin' is not the brain?
3) is there an indication that the quality 'human being' as origin for its intelligence resides outside the scope of physiology? (ie that 'human being' as a 'kind' is somehow developed and maintained outside the scope of physiology)