The biochemistry of cell communication (Introduction)

by dhw, Saturday, October 01, 2016, 11:55 (2757 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: It's amazing how fast these intelligent cells work! To reverse your own approach, it may look automatic from the outside, but who can tell the difference-DAVID: The problem for you is how to interpret cells' reaction when they are studied down to a level of the molecular reactions inside the cells that generate the responses to stimuli. All that can be seen is a series of molecules' reactions with each other to produce the response, with the same response each time the same stimulus is applied. There will be a specific molecular response to each specific stimulus. Automaticity.-Many processes are, of course, automatic (e.g. the work of the senses) as I keep acknowledging. But the question is how the information gained is then applied, and the problem for you is that we can only study the physiological manifestations of mental processes. You are aware of this when it comes to human thought, and indeed you criticize neuroscientists who believe brain activity to be the source of mental activity as opposed to being the receiver of it. You even go so far as to acknowledge that the behaviour of brainless micro-organisms appears to be intelligent, and the articles you quote (like this one) often show you that it actually is, but you cling to your prejudices.