Bacteria, God & Double Standards (Evolution)

by dhw, Friday, July 10, 2015, 13:33 (3422 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: I was only objecting to the statement of yours: "pure automatism may result in extinction". We both agree single cells can adapt.-Just to clarify: if conditions are stable, I agree that cells/cell communities will fulfil their functions automatically. If conditions change, cells/cell communities will either have to change the manner in which they fulfil those functions (adaptation) or perish. You believe adaptation is automatic (which I presume is why you object), but I think it is also possible that the cells/cell communities that survive have used their intelligence to make the adjustments. This possibility may also explain how some cells/cell communities exploit new conditions by inventing new functions (innovation).