How would a species evolve in a world exclusively made of water?

There is a cold planet (maybe a moon of a gas giant) far out in a solar system.

It has a solid core and the surface is a thick layer of ice. Because of nuclear fission in the planet's core it is warm enough for there to be a huge ocean between the core and the ice.

Enough gases and minerals bubble up from the ocean bed to support multicellular life forms.

No light gets through the ice but bioluminescence exists.

Fire is not possible underwater therefore metallurgy and most technology would be unattainable.

The only electricity is from living things (e.g. electric eels).

Creatures can evolve 'hands' to manipulate things - intelligent crabs maybe.

The questions are:

1. Would there be any evolutionary pressure to become more intelligent or would it just be like Earth's ocean for ever?

2. If there were intelligent inhabitants who could speak and reason logically, could they invent any technology at all apart from simple things like using rocks to break open the shells of their prey.

   Would there be any point in forming laws and governments or studying philosophy?

   My guess is that on Earth it was the movement of life from the oceans onto the land that allowed all these things to happen. They just wouldn't happen on the planet Wetworld.

3. Can anyone suggest a way that the intelligent inhabitants could create an advanced civilisation under these conditions?

posted over 9 years ago

chasly from UK‭

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