I'd be tempted to look at it more as brain:sensor (including skin surface, muscle feedback etc.) ratio.
A small brain for a large amount of inputs means the brain's representation is much more aliased than perception, and the internal algorithms work despite very fuzzy input. Cause for that ratio probably being that the brain is very high pass and only cares about high input spikes (i.e. very dull sense of tact, but sensing a sting still matters, so it still needs a high skin sensor density).
While a large brain for a relatively smaller sensory input means the internal representation is more detailed, or it's even creating synthetic detail from internal models of perceptions at the same time as it processes inputs, which would be where problem solving and awareness capacities kick in.
Sure, but there's more than just single task unsupervised feedback learning going on here. In the first video I linked, as soon as the bird fails with the shorter stick, there is, evidenced by its subsequent behavior executed in ONE successful trial, some complete and integrated pattern of thought at minimum entailing:
1) This tool is no good, I need one with greater length.
2) I identify one over yonder.
3) It is obstructed.
4) I will need weight to remove that obstruction
5) I have identified suitable weights
6) I will need a tool to get those weights
7) My current tool is sufficient for that
8) I can chain these observations to obtain my goal.
That kind of executive functioning and judgment composed from simple tasks learned independently, the first time, and without supervision seems to me well beyond the norm for what we observe in perceptron models of learning and feedback.
A small brain for a large amount of inputs means the brain's representation is much more aliased than perception, and the internal algorithms work despite very fuzzy input. Cause for that ratio probably being that the brain is very high pass and only cares about high input spikes (i.e. very dull sense of tact, but sensing a sting still matters, so it still needs a high skin sensor density).
While a large brain for a relatively smaller sensory input means the internal representation is more detailed, or it's even creating synthetic detail from internal models of perceptions at the same time as it processes inputs, which would be where problem solving and awareness capacities kick in.