Bacterial Intelligence? (General)

by David Turell , Tuesday, January 27, 2015, 00:29 (3589 days ago) @ dhw


> dhw: Of course you are entitled to your opinion, but I would be very hesitant to dismiss the opinions of those who have devoted years of research to the subject. -As stated all along, I can read their findings and reach my own conclusions. -> 
> dhw: And I've explained the need for open-mindedness on the subject, as called for by Shapiro amd other specialists in the field.-I actually agree with Shapiro. Bacteria are amazingly responsive to stimuli. But I emphasize the source of the controls of responses as genomic information. Stepwise I am at a different level of explanation. I know how bacteria respond. I'm looking at the issue of how they do it from instructions they carry.
> 
> This we know, because we can directly observe organisms adapting.....The fact that some experts in the field detect a high degree of intelligence even in single-celled organisms lends credence to the idea, even if you are determined to dismiss their research. Please tell me how you personally can know that organisms which look intelligent and have all the attributes of intelligence (which I listed) are actually machines - the very prejudice that was criticized by participants in the discussion.-Because I look at the issue differently as explained above. Previously, I especially noted the response in the discussion that presented bacterial response actions at a molecular level. I am looking theoretically at the control mechanisms in the genome, the copious instructions (information) that guides the processes. That information was not developed by chance. your favored discussants prefer to ignore that issue.