finding

active

finding:tadpoles-with-an-eye-induced-on-the-tail-optic-nerve-terminating-at-spinal-cord-not-brain-perform-in-visual-assays

Tadpoles with an eye induced on the tail (optic nerve terminating at spinal cord, not brain) perform in visual assays

Cited (Blackiston & Levin 2013) as evidence of unexpected functional competency (a 'free lunch') not explained by design or selection.

Source paper

extracted_from

Ingressing Minds: Causal Patterns Beyond Genetics and Environment in Natural, Synthetic, and Hybrid Embodiments

(2025) · Michael Levin

Neighborhood — ranked by edge-count

Papers (1)

paper

Ingressing Minds: Causal Patterns Beyond Genetics and Environment in Natural, Synthetic, and Hybrid Embodiments
mentions

Claims (1)

claim

The proposed framework erases artificial distinctions between organisms and machines by framing all physical constructs as in-formed, to varying degrees, by patterns from the latent space
supports
Central thesis statement of the abstract.

Hypotheses (1)

hypothesis

Living beings have no monopoly on the 'free lunches' provided by the ingression of patterns into the physical world
supports
Third core numbered hypothesis in the abstract; predicts machines can access the same latent-space benefits as evolved life.

Related by similarity (8)

cosine ≥ 0.65 · no typed edge

Entities in the same semantic neighborhood but without a typed relation to this one — candidates for new edges or unrecognized duplicates.

Tadpoles with eyes transplanted to tail location perform visual learning tasks normally despite altered sensory anatomy.finding0.882
Evidence of neural plasticity; demonstrates mind's independence from specific body layout.
Tadpoles with ectopic eyes on tails can see and learn effectively in visual assays.finding0.874
Blackiston & Levin 2013 finding showing plasticity of sensorimotor integration.
Ectopic eyes on tadpole tails support visual learning despite connecting to the spinal cord.finding0.870
From Blackiston & Levin (2013), shows plasticity of brain and body.
Tadpoles with ectopic eyes on tail can see and integrate sensory input from aberrant locationfinding0.870
Demonstrates neural plasticity: brain adapts behavioral programs to sensory input from abnormal anatomical locations within single organism lifetime.
Tadpoles with eyes on their tails perform visual learning tasksfinding0.869
Ectopic eyes in Xenopus tadpoles connect to the spinal cord and enable visual learning despite incorrect anatomical location.
Ectopic eyes on tadpole tail provide functional vision despite connecting only to spinal cord or peripheral tissue.finding0.865
Result from Blackiston & Levin 2013: sensory data from displaced eyes can be used for learned behavior without evolutionary adaptation.
Ectopic eyes in the tails of Xenopus tadpoles allow the animals to see and connect optic nerve to spinal cord (Blackiston & Levin 2013).finding0.857
Demonstrates competence of eye primordia to achieve function in novel locations.
Tadpoles with ectopic eyes on their tails can see out of them, demonstrating radical functional plasticity without evolutionary adaptation.claim0.856
Example of innate problem-solving capacity.