Paleontological Tests: Human-like Intelligence is not a Convergent Feature of Evolution

TL;DR

This paper challenges the idea that human-like intelligence has evolved independently multiple times, questioning its role as a convergent evolutionary feature and discussing implications for extraterrestrial intelligence searches.

Contribution

It provides a critical analysis showing that human-like intelligence is not a common convergent outcome in evolution, impacting theories of intelligent life development.

Findings

Encephalization quotients do not consistently increase over time.

Human-like intelligence is not a convergent evolutionary feature.

Implications for extraterrestrial intelligence searches are discussed.

Abstract

We critically examine the evidence for the idea that encephalization quotients increase with time. We find that human-like intelligence is not a convergent feature of evolution. Implications for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence are discussed.