zlacker

> Name a creature on earth without one.

Anything that doesn't have a spine, I'm pretty sure.

Also if we look at just auditory, tons of creatures are deaf and don't need that.

> Imagine trying to limit, control, or explain a being without familiar cognitive structures.

I don't see why any of that that affects whether it's intelligent.

>>Dylan1+(OP)
Agreed: Perhaps we aught to be studying cognition of creatures without spines before we claim to replicate or understand cognition of creatures with them.

Presumably they have some sort biological input processing or sensory inputs. They don't eat data.