Seven Survival Senses : Evolutionary Training Makes Discerning Differences More Natural Than Spotting Similarities

This article discusses preliminary results from two experiments and puts forth the notion that the development of sensory systems might be more geared toward discerning differences rather than for spotting similarities. The article presents the possibility that the necessity to spot differences might have evolved to ensure the survival of the organism, which suggests numerous other experiments to assess the response of participants to various stimuli. The article considers our present state of affairs, wherein the need is to thrive and not merely survive, which requires us to spot similarities around us. Some suggestions are provided on how this attribute can be developed, which includes mathematical education. This article concludes with an alternate measure for intelligence, termed the Involvement Quotient (also, IQ), which gauges the level of involvement of the sense organs to whatever is happening around the individual.