Convergence or divergence? (Introduction)

by David Turell , Saturday, September 07, 2013, 18:06 (4095 days ago) @ dhw


> DAVID: Universal intelligence as far as I am concerned.
> 
> dhw:I was referring to our theory of the "intelligent cell". Convergence involves individual organisms coming up with similar solutions. That can only mean each organism has its OWN intelligence, regardless of whether there is a UI that designed the intelligence in the first place.-It is YOUR intelligent cell. I view the cell as containing information which it is programmed to use intelligently with automatic chemical responses, controlled by tight feed-back loops.
> 
> dhw: But I don't see why it's convergence that is "highly suggestive of design".[/i]-Because of the similar responses life comes up with in very different species. The human eye and the octopus eye are amazingly similar. Even the retinas are the same except for the layer configuration, ours allowing more energy to be received by the retinal cells.
> 
> dhw:Each eye suggests an intelligent invention. Six different eyes suggest six intelligent inventions by six "converging" intelligences. They all strongly suggest intelligence within the DNA. If that is what you mean by "planning", I agree, but I suspect you are referring to a single universal planner who is mysteriously both within and without DNA. That's different.-That is where we differ: as stated above I do not agree that the cells are independently intelligent. It is how they are organized to use their information and how they respond attests to the intelligence that creaeted them.
> 
> dhw: Two intelligences thinking alike are no more suggestive of design than one intelligence doing its thinking. Whether intelligence per se is the product of inexplicable design, inexplicable chance, or inexplicable "panpsychist" evolution is of course the question we never stop asking.-We interpret what we know about cells differently
 
> dhw:Dawkins is also very satisfied where he is in his theories. I am not satisfied with either form of satisfaction, which is why this website is devoted to discussion and not mutual backslapping!-I agree. Full discussion with genteel and curteous flavor