Natures wonders: making spider silk (Introduction)

by David Turell , Saturday, August 23, 2014, 15:53 (3743 days ago) @ dhw


> dhw: I have stressed all the way along that cells must cooperate in order to produce innovations. It would certainly be absurd to argue that a single cell decides to make itself into a kidney!-It is just as absurd to imagine a kidney appearing simply because a whole organism desires to have one. Something so complex has to be developed following a plan. That is why the inventive mechanism idea is so appealing, if it is assumed hat highly intelligent information is available inthe genome.
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> dhw: The idea is simply an extension of the claims made by Shapiro, Margulis and Albrecht-Buehler that cells are sentient, cognitive, communicative, decision-making, intelligent beings.-An extension beyond credulity. Those attributes are extremely minimal.
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> dhw: I'm delighted that you are now trying to find a more detailed definition, but I'm not sure that it's possible to go beyond the concept of “the intelligent cell”, at least until the mechanism is found (if ever). The total organism is a collection of cell communities, and so you might as well say it is the cell communities that decide to tap into their ability to change. “Somehow” is as nebulous as you can get, and it still boils down to cells.-The cells are following instructions in the genome, instructions that plan for large changes, is the way I view it.
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> dhw: Bearing in mind that bacteria are single-celled and according to the above researchers show every sign of sentience, intelligence etc., the process seems to me to be a logical progression. ....the intelligence which we have called the inventive mechanism within cell communities brings about an almost infinite variety of innovations as and when the environment demands or allows. I think it is essential to include “allows” here,-Once again, the intelligence is the information in the genome, which directs the cell responses, which are almost always automatic. My concept of an inventive mechanism takes that into account, because planning information is available in the genome. I predict it will be found. -> dhw: Are you still opposed to the term “the intelligent cell” (not my coinage, of course)? Would you perhaps prefer “the inventive cell”?-Neither. For the reasoning given.