The biochemistry of cell communication (Introduction)

by David Turell , Sunday, September 04, 2016, 18:42 (2791 days ago) @ dhw


> dhw: My concept of cell intelligence does not preclude the automatic activities that are essential to the functioning of communities once an organ exists. Intelligence only comes into active play when there is a problem to be solved or, going one step further in my evolutionary hypothesis, when new conditions permit innovation. - And I pointed out that Shapiro demonstrates they can edit their DNA to accomplish changes. Their ability may well come from a God-given mechanism.
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> xxxxxx - > You said some of the Tasmanian devils may have had partial immunity to start with, so what was the point of that if partial immunity is of no use? ... Once again: you have excluded divine intervention, so did your God preprogramme the solution, and a few individuals only managed to switch on the right programme at the last minute? Or did they work it out for themselves? - Not every attribute organisms carry are useful. They become useful when needed. This is what new adaptations of parts is all about. Seen in evolution regularly. The devils may have done it by copulating survivors producing more immune progeny, seen all the time in biology.
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> xxxxxx
> Pure molecular biochemical reactions to me. The ligand attaches to one molecular area or another. They will figure it out.
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> dhw; I see nothing in the words "recruit" and "induce" to indicate that she shares your view that these are automatic reactions. Figuring something out suggests intelligence to me. - I was referring to the researchers finding out the automatic response in cells, not the cells themselves.
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> xxxxxx
>> DAVID: Ants are whole beings with brains. Cells are not. 
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> dhw; Some single cells are whole beings, though the analogy here is with cell communities. And as a dualist, you keep telling us that intelligence is not the product of the brain. - You are confused about my beliefs. Intelligence is the product of the brain plasticity. Consciousness is not. The brain is required to receive it.