Is Eywa a fungal organism?

[Human No More]

Aihwa is right. Eywa works in the same way as the human brain, except neurons are replaced with trees and the synapses are the connections between them, plus overall there are more connections.

If you read the survival guide, it says that many plants on Pandora have an animal-like nervous system

[Tiberius]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Aihwa is right. Eywa works in the same way as the human brain, except neurons are replaced with trees and the synapses are the connections between them, plus overall there are more connections.

If you read the survival guide, it says that many plants on Pandora have an animal-like nervous system

No . Eywa does not work like the human brain, and there is nowhere in the film where anyone says this. Eywa displays abilities which appear supernatural, such as foreknowledge of the future (for example in the way she chose Jake). Although Eywa has a physical component, she also has a spiritual component. In an Interview James Cameron described Eywa as an "encompassing Spirit"

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by Tiberius

No . Eywa does not work like the human brain, and there is nowhere in the film where anyone says this.

I seem to remember Grace saying exactly that. Or at least, using the human brain as a useful anology. Sure, there is another component to her (or more, given I subscribe to the idea that Eywa also functions as a bit of a hive-mind), but the anology of the human brain is still used.

[Tiberius]

Originally Posted by Ashen Key

I seem to remember Grace saying exactly that. Or at least, using the human brain as a useful anology. Sure, there is another component to her (or more, given I subscribe to the idea that Eywa also functions as a bit of a hive-mind), but the anology of the human brain is still used.

I am well aware of what Grace said, but that does not imply that that Eywa functions as a human mind. Eywa seems to operate on an infinitely higher level.

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by Tiberius

I am well aware of what Grace said, but that does not imply that that Eywa functions as a human mind. Eywa seems to operate on an infinitely higher level.

Brain =/= mind. Brain is the physical organ that can be scanned - mind is what we CAN'T see, and what is US. Of course Eywa operates on a different level - she's a planet-wide consciousness, not a member of a species. But using a brain is still a useful anology, I think, to understanding. It's a 'brain' made up trees and the connections between them - which I have no problem in believing would be a Pandoran version of fungus. That's the hardware, if you will.

[Human No More]

Originally Posted by Tiberius

No . Eywa does not work like the human brain, and there is nowhere in the film where anyone says this. Eywa displays abilities which appear supernatural, such as foreknowledge of the future (for example in the way she chose Jake). Although Eywa has a physical component, she also has a spiritual component. In an Interview James Cameron described Eywa as an "encompassing Spirit"

That's not knowledge of the future, or a group of angtsik would have killed Quaritch the moment he landed on Pandora.
It's intelligence, but not anything special.

[ISV Venture Star]

Originally Posted by Human No More

That's not knowledge of the future, or a group of angtsik would have killed Quaritch the moment he landed on Pandora.
It's intelligence, but not anything special.

It's a bit like that in the scriptment, I guess.


What does everyone make of this as an analogy:

Eywa: superorganism.
Humans: invading pathogen.
Jake Sully/Grace Augustine: antigen.

[Human No More]

Originally Posted by Tiberius

No . Eywa does not work like the human brain, and there is nowhere in the film where anyone says this. Eywa displays abilities which appear supernatural, such as foreknowledge of the future (for example in the way she chose Jake). Although Eywa has a physical component, she also has a spiritual component. In an Interview James Cameron described Eywa as an "encompassing Spirit"

There's nowhere it says that.
Grace describes the structure very well, and there was no demonstrable knowledge of the future - or otherwise, why not prevent the destruction of Hometree and the tree of voices? or even the RDA's arrival on Pandora? Why not just blow up the ISVs if Eywa really is some kind of mystical superbeing as you seem to think?