Natures wonders: making spider silk (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, August 14, 2014, 02:14 (3753 days ago) @ dhw


> dhw: Then you can no longer claim that cells must be automata, since each one contains its own share of your God's intelligence.-Now, now, let's not stetch too much. Shapiro's cells have simple automatic reactions with controlled choices. One has to add God's intelligence above and beyond the cell to make the complex advances of the Cambrian.
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> dhw:If you can believe that a little bit of your universal intelligence is in every cell, you can believe that lots of little bits of it can plan and coordinate.-There has to be an overall universal consciousness doing the planning and coordination, not litle bits superficially connected with their automatic biochemical responses. You have it backwards to avoid God.-> dhw: Cells HAVE to combine if organs are to work. What is “amorphous” is our not knowing the mechanism or how it works, but it is hardly less amorphous to call the mechanism “God”, which you are now prepared to do. -Exactly. Don't include me in your 'our not knowing the mechanism' clause.
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> dhw: their unique combination gives me “my” identity.-You have a unique identity, and I'll bet you sea bass is delicious.