Can a rational creature have a series of small brains instead of a large one?
My question is not human-specific. I found this question that mentions that a brain have more neuronal complexity; I deduce it is more efficient (in terms of neural communication and energy use) to put all the higher complex mental functions in one large organ (tell me if I'm wrong, I'm not a biologist). But in an alien planet, where living carbon-based creatures have plenty of resources and food, could they evolve to have a series of interconnected small brains with the same functions of a large one? These brains could be located across one limb or across the back.
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Yes.
For large animals, octopuses are a possible source of inspiration. They have neurons in their arms, which lets them have a very large brain-to-body ratio. This does let their arms move without as much direct control from the brain.
You could also argue that this sort of structure can be found in leeches. They don't really have 32 brains, one inside each body segment, but they do have one ganglion per body segment, which in a sense exerts local control over that segment. Each ganglion cannot operate independently from the others - that is, it's not like there are 32 individual nervous systems working in unison.
Keep in mind that the segmented structure of the leech is what makes this sort of thing evolutionarily possible. You're probably not going to see this arise in animals like humans, for instance, because there's simply no need. A centralized organ is much simpler than miscellaneous localized ones.
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