Autonomy and balance (Evolution)

by dhw, Wednesday, June 08, 2016, 12:14 (2876 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: Agreed. There must be some sort of speciation mechanism, unless God directly dabbles.-dhw: I would like to make the hypothesis a little clearer: if we believe in common descent, speciation can only take place through some sort of autonomous inventive intelligence within the cell communities themselves, unless there is a God who directly dabbles.-DAVID: You have your version, I have mine: 'an autonomous inventive mechanism' (aim) or a 'complexification mechanism' (cm) is provided by God who may have to dabble in the future to correct problem solutions of the mechanisms. Alternatively God may be hands on all the way along in evolution. This latter alternative is not as compatible as aim or cm with the h-p bush of life. I think this is a good summary of where we are in discussion.-An interesting exercise, with a very pleasing recognition of the fact that the hands-on version is less compatible with the bush. I like it. But I would also like a version that both of us can accept. Bearing in mind that not even you can state categorically that God exists, may I try again?-If we believe in common descent, speciation may have taken place through an autonomous inventive mechanism (AIM) or complexification mechanism (CM) within the cell communities. If God exists, he would have provided the mechanism, and may have dabbled to correct problems. Alternatively, he may have guided evolution all the way. The latter hypothesis is not as compatible as an AIM or CM with the higgledy-piggledy bush of life.