[bobthechef]

I agree that smaller brain does not mean dumber. This is a very simplistic idea of what brains are for. Whales have huge brains, but I would guess that has more to do with their size.

I don't understand what you mean by "generalist" vs "specialist". I think intelligence is related to why, for example, human beings lack armor, fur, and all sorts of specialized features, functions, and excellences that other species have. Human intelligence can dream up an indefinite if not infinite number of functions which are "offloaded" to technology. We wear clothing and can adjust it depending on the climate which allow us to adapt to environments more than any other species. We have optical instruments which can extend our vision beyond that of any other species depending on need. We have all sorts of communication instruments which allow us a greater range of communication than any other species. We can harvest food in ways that put all other species to shame. We can outrun, fly, and swim any other animal. I could go on. Any capacity other species have we can (at least in principle) exceed with the help of technology, all thanks to human intelligence.

Assuming selection as an explanatory model, I don't see why we should expect to see that basic feature going away. Even with greater specialization in one direction or another, you still need much of that basic underlying generality.

[inawarminister]

AFAIK human natural niche was persistence hunting. Due to our body shape and ability to sweat, we can outrun prey species in the long run. That's how we're engineered, by natural selection in Ice Age Africa. Persistent trekkers that can throw sticks and stones.

Later, we domesticated dogs and other species, then made more and more advanced technologies. But at it's core? Our niche was that.

[robbedpeter]

I'm pretty sure that humans are apex persistence hunters - we can run any animal to death, not just prey species. It's a brutally effective adaptation. It's the greatest weapon we had until fire.

Even fat modern lazy humans have it in them - kick in survival mode brain chemistry and enough luck to keep chasing a deer's trail for days, the deer will die of exhaustion before the human.

[hawk_]

> This is a very simplistic idea of what brains are for.

Or it could be that my small brain is incapable of seeing how small brain can mean dumber