Parallel Thought

[DW3]

What is parallel thought and is it true that only humans can do it? How do we know that?

(I did a search to see if this was covered already and kept getting wierd results.)

[Keeves]

I was going to ask you what "parallel thought" is, but then I noticed that you already covered that point.

[Nickrz]

If I introduce a tangent, will these posts intersect?

[BugZap]

What is parallel thought and is it true that only humans can do it? How do we know that?
(I did a search to see if this was covered already and kept getting wierd results.)
--------
I think you got an i backwards there.
Weird results are the best kind of thing you can expect to get. They already found all of the normal ones; what's left?

You engaged in paralell thinking, when you both thought about what you wanted to write, and used your fingers to type it. You could do two things at once. One mental, one physical. An easy exercise. For a human.
In fact, while you're doing those two things, you were also thinking about something else entirely. That's holographic thinking.

Parallel thinking-
It's really no big deal, and any sophisticated computer can be programmed to simulate it.
Simulate it, not think.
We still got the edge, but you might wanta keep your hands on the power cord, just in case.


You other guys, cosine yourself before I whack you with a log.

[NanoByte]

Parallel processing (parallel machine thinking) has an objective meaning, referring to simultaneous interactive logical paths from input to output. I hadn't actually heard the term 'parallel thought'.

Looking under that term with AltaVista, the term appears to be used by a variety of mystics/psychobabblers or whatever -- for whatever they're into:

http://www.mindsafari.com/p558.htm

(Remote viewing during theta- or delta-wave brain activity -- pffff!)

http://www.mindsafari.com/p558.htm

All biological brains, human or otherwise, are, of course, parallel processors.

Ray

[DW3]

You guys don't really know what parallel thinking is, do you?

All of my internet searches came up with sites that refer to it but don't define it. I'm looking for a definition. Not examples.

Let me explain the weird search results of this board: my search returned the same title (Why didn't the dinosaurs evolve intelligence?) There were others but nothing I clicked on contained what I was looking for. Upon closer examination I think it just returned 504 random posts.

[AuraSeer]

It's known that the MB search function is wonky. The resident techies are working on it.

[Keeves]

DW3 writesYou guys don't really know what parallel thinking is, do you?That is exactly correct. We do not know what it is. Furthermore, because you are asking us about it, it seems that you don't know what it is, either.

So let me ask you this, DW3: Why do you care what it means? Did you simply stick two words together and start asking everyone about it, or did you see the phrase somewhere and it got you curious? If the latter, then showing us that context would be of immeasurable help insolving this little conundrum of yours.

[HeadlessCow]

Whenever I have heard parallel thinking referred to it has been used to mean the ability to think of more than one thing at the same time. For example, counting red, blue and green cars and keeping seperate totals. Or being able to listen to someone and read something at the same time and keep the two processes seperate. It seems to be the ability to split your concentration while still being able to focus on both (or all) the things you are doing.

[DougC]

- - - Parallel parking, on the other hand, is something that NOT all humans can do. - MC

[DW3]

Keeves,

When I first joined this forum I thought it was going to be a great help. Some of the members are smart and can answer questions so that everybody can understand. The rest of the members just seem to be smart asses and make smart ass guesses or remarks to serious questions. If the question was an obvious attempt at humor fine. Laugh your ass off. I have.

Parallel thinking was used against me in another forum about animal rights. That person said that humans were the only animals capable of parallel thought. I would just like to know more about it and if that person's assertions were true. My internet searches dead ended so I was hoping this forum would help.

[DrFidelius]

DW3:

It sounds like the person you were debating was trying to score points by using a fuzzy concept that sounds good. Did you ask him for a definition? We are all as smart as Cecil (all of us combined that is) and if we have never heard of this "parallel thinking" thing it must not be important.

Even if he was referring to human's ability to hold two or more thoughts in their head at the same time, so what? That's the type of thing that humans do. You might as well argue that peregrines deserve special rights because no other creature can fly as fast as they. Or that earthworms deserve special priviledges because they are the only animals which can process soils as they do. Or that special consideration should be given to tsetse flies because no other animal retains its larvae in its body until it pupates. My point is that every living organism does something in a unique way, and ethical treatment should not be predicated upon how similar their way of living is to ours.

sigh... let me put this soapbox away before someone gets hurt...


------------------
Dr. Fidelius, Charlatan
Associate Curator Anomalous Paleontology, Miskatonic University
Homo vult decipi; decipiatur

[Keeves]

[quote]It sounds like the person you were debating was trying to score points by using a fuzzy concept that sounds good. Did you ask him for a definition?[.quote]Ditto.

[Nickrz]

Serial killers can't do it.

[popokis5]

Maybe birds and bees do it.