Bruce Lipton & the cell (Introduction)

by dhw, Wednesday, December 30, 2015, 20:24 (3250 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: He [Shapiro] also says that cells act teleologically to survive and to evolve.
dhw: I take “teleologically” to mean ”with purpose”, in which case his statement can be used to support the case for evolution being driven by cellular intelligence.
DAVID: He also states that cells can create the large jumps in complexity by their epigenetic mechanisms. He doesn't explain how that ability might have appeared or developed in the cells. He simply states that is how evolution jumps ahead.-This is excellent news. Since he considers cells and organisms to be intelligent entities, he can only mean that they use their intelligence to “create the jumps”. But like me, he leaves open the question of the origin of that intelligence, because his focus is on how evolution works. I am delighted to have my hypothesis supported by a biologist for whom you have such great respect.
 
From: “The biochemistry of cell adhesion...”:-dhw: ...the point I have made, which is that we have evidence of organisms changing their own structure in response to the environment and without advance planning.
DAVID: That is the epigenetic response. No planning.-Exactly. “Epigenetic” is not, of course, a synonym for “automatic”.-dhw: That doesn't prove they are capable of invention (as opposed to adaptation), but it opens up the possibility that the same mechanism might be used innovatively when changing conditions offer new opportunities (as opposed to life-threatening dangers).
DAVID: And that is the point Shapiro proposes in my response to 'Lipton and cell adhesion'-As above.