Epigenetics: Passing the effects (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, February 05, 2015, 21:58 (3373 days ago) @ dhw


> DAVID: I have never denied that organisms have self-evolutionary abilities. I've discussed epigenetics endlessly here. It is the issue of how independent those abilities are that we are in disagreement about. 
> 
> Your argument has always been that cells / cell communities are automatons obeying instructions. You have, however, recently tried to introduce a concept of semi-autonomy. We have agreed that no organism can “self-evolve” beyond the limits imposed by its own nature and by the environment, but for you even the weaverbird cannot be granted a sufficient degree of autonomy to design its own nest.-Simply, the nest is too complex for the weaverbirds to have designed it. But they could have been helped in the design development, a cooperative effort, much like a parent teaching a child how to dress. View it like coaching cricket. Coach demonstrates, player learns and improves.-> 
> DAVID: I still think your Darwin roots from earlier in your life play a role. But I admit you seem to have accepted much of my anti-Darwin-theory proposals.
> 
> dhw:Yes, they play a significant role, because I believe that all living organisms except the first descended from earlier organisms. .... When I opened this website seven years ago, I expressed the hope that by combining our discoveries, we might help one another to gain new insights. You have done this on a scale far beyond what I could have hoped for, and thanks to you, George, BBella, Tony, Matt and many others who have come and gone, even though I'm still on the fence, I have a much broader view!-Thank you for all of us. I pity your rump.