First multicellularity: algae (Evolution)

by dhw, Thursday, May 12, 2016, 17:36 (3115 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: Please describe how they communicate, if you disagree that they do it through molecular reactions. -dhw: I quoted the researchers themselves: “How the cells of the plant communicate with one another remains unknown.” I think it's a bit unfair to expect me to provide the answer. ..... It would be more appropriate to ask how they come to their decisions. And the answer is: we don't know.-DAVID: Note my bolded section. I will continue to insist, based on scientific studies, when communication is picked apart it is molecular reactions that accomplish the task, based often on feedback loops if homeostasis is the issue. I've presented this type of stuff many, many times. I agree we do not fully understand the algorithms that dictate the chemical cascades.-I agree that communication is accomplished by molecular reactions if by that you mean chemical processes. And although you have changed the terminology from decision-making to algorithms (so much more scientific than your usual God's instructions), you have agreed that we don't know what it is that dictates the “chemical cascades”, i.e. how cells decide to react in a certain manner. "Fully understand” is one of those weasel expressions to suggest that we are almost there. No, we are not. Any more than we “fully understand” how humans reach decisions. And homeostasis is not THE issue. Our biggest problem is how cell communities innovate, i.e. decide to form new communities, but it may all be accomplished by the same mechanism. Your God's "instructions"? My cellular intelligence?