If human beings were tiny could we still be "intelligent"?

[zinfamous]

yes, supposedly we dont use a large percentage > 80%? of what we have

that's 95% BS, though.

as for OP:
it all depends on body size:brain mass and, well, more importantly, which part of our brain is most developed.

 

[HAL9000]

Based on this hypothesis, People under 4 ft tall are less intelligent than people over 6ft....

I think the fact that the OP put "Intelligent" in speech marks says everything about this thread.

 

[JTsyo]

Human intelligence such as emotions, self-awareness, advanced math and science? Most likely yes. Basic reasoning, problem solving and survival? Not so much. Rats can accomplish this. Also, some creatures manage to exceed the sum of their parts via a hive mind mentality and display amazing resourcefulness (see bees and ants) and logic which you wouldn't think possible given their microscopic brains. That's just plain alien to me.

Just saw an article on Slashdot about amoeba that farm bacteria.

 

[yhelothar]

Based on this hypothesis, People under 4 ft tall are less intelligent than people over 6ft....

I think the fact that the OP put "Intelligent" in speech marks says everything about this thread.

Midgets have similar sized heads and about equal mass in brains than normal people.

 

[Kommander_Kink]

No. Small things get eaten by big things and therefore don't live long; there are no smart short-lived things. I assure you, it's science.

Wrong sir, a parrot is 3x times more intelligent than an ostricht.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Wrong sir, a parrot is 3x times more intelligent than an ostricht.

Don't parrots live a really long time?

 

[zinfamous]

Wrong sir, a parrot is 3x times more intelligent than an ostricht.

why did you quote me as saying something that I never said?

is that what you pervs get off on?

 

[HAL9000]

Midgets have similar sized heads and about equal mass in brains than normal people.

Firstly you are saying that "Midgets" aren't normal people, secondly depending on what type of dwarfism you have your brain may be smaller than other people depending on whether your head size is in proportion to your height

 

[CoachB]

From the cosmic perspective, humans ARE tiny. So...is there a huge being out there that would classify us as "tiny dumb organisms"?
Does this explain Stephen Hawking....a big brain in a shriveled up body (No offense intended Stephen).
Should I chop off my arms and legs and then call MENSA?? ;>O

 

[Zedtom]

Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy thought about the idea of a species smaller than humans.

After millennia of battle the surviving G'Gugvuntt and Vl'hurg realised what had actually happened, and joined forces to attack the Milky Way in retaliation. They crossed vast reaches of space in a journey lasting thousands of years before reaching their target where they attacked the first planet they encountered, Earth. Due to a terrible miscalculation of scale the entire battle fleet was swallowed by a small dog.