Biological complexity: cell molecular communication (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, January 28, 2016, 19:08 (3222 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: Identifying the type and strength of signals is the equivalent of our perception. The next stage is processing the information received, communicating it to others, and taking a collective decision. All these are hallmarks of intelligence, and not automaticity. Shapiro (like McClintock, Margulis, Buehler etc.) is quite specific in attributing independent intelligence to cells in general and not just bacteria, and this study explicitly describes cooperative, decision-making procedures, as opposed to automatic responses! Thank you for drawing it to our attention.-As usual we are having the same battle. If the cells respond as the article states that can be by automatic programmed responses just as well as by your interpretation. Shapiro works with single-celled organisms responsible only to themselves. These are not the same as cells in a multicellular organism where the cells must work with each other in a coordinated fashion which is programmed and controlled. Different cells have different DNA controls.