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<blockquote data-quote="cotjones" data-source="post: 7663814" data-attributes="member: 573988">That&#039;s a matter of definition. You are kinda trying to compare apples to oranges. The fact that they have increased senses is compensatory, And likely mutually exclusive from the mutation for lack of eyes.What I&#039;m trying to say is that if you were to take a species of frog, get thousands of eggs, and genetically engineer half to have non functional eyes. Then let them all grow in an environment with zero light. They would both compete equally. Genetic drift would likely eliminate one trait over enough time, but regardless, the trait is immediately neutral.What you are talking about is another derived but mutually exclusive or evolved trait. The functions of the brain are dynamic. If you lose your eye function, those parts of the brain can be diminished while other parts are enhanced. Sometimes parts can switch function all together. Brain development is heavily dependent on feedback from stimuli. IE if you never use your eyes the visual cortex doesn&#039;t develop as well. If you never learn language you might have a smaller Broca&#039;s area. But loss of a sensory organ does not intrinsically strengthen other senses, the effect is circumstantial.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="cotjones, post: 7663814, member: 573988"] That's a matter of definition. You are kinda trying to compare apples to oranges. The fact that they have increased senses is compensatory, And likely mutually exclusive from the mutation for lack of eyes. What I'm trying to say is that if you were to take a species of frog, get thousands of eggs, and genetically engineer half to have non functional eyes. Then let them all grow in an environment with zero light. They would both compete equally. Genetic drift would likely eliminate one trait over enough time, but regardless, the trait is immediately neutral. What you are talking about is another derived but mutually exclusive or evolved trait. The functions of the brain are dynamic. If you lose your eye function, those parts of the brain can be diminished while other parts are enhanced. Sometimes parts can switch function all together. Brain development is heavily dependent on feedback from stimuli. IE if you never use your eyes the visual cortex doesn't develop as well. If you never learn language you might have a smaller Broca's area. But loss of a sensory organ does not intrinsically strengthen other senses, the effect is circumstantial. [/QUOTE]

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