Beyond Cat Brains: Exploring the Limits of Cognition with Larger Brains

This article explores the relationship between brain size and cognitive abilities, particularly what new cognitive capabilities might emerge when brain size far exceeds that of humans. Starting from recent advances in neural networks and large language models, and incorporating knowledge from computational theory and neuroscience, the author analyzes how brains process vast amounts of sensory data and make decisions. The article argues that brains exploit "pockets of reducibility" within computational irreducibility to navigate the world, and larger brains might be able to harness more such pockets, leading to stronger abstraction capabilities and richer language. Ultimately, the article explores the possibility of minds beyond human comprehension and the potential heights AI might reach.