Life's biologic complexity: Automatic molecular actions (Introduction)

by dhw, Tuesday, October 11, 2016, 14:52 (2965 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: These are all examples of scientists using the automatic reactions of these amazing molecules. This is how cells act automatically. The scientists have no ability to train molecules to do anything. Molecules do what they can do, no more, no less.

Why are you equating molecules with cells? How many thousand molecules are there in a cell? Of course the actions of molecules and also of cells are largely automatic. So are your own actions. Intelligence is only needed when the organism is confronted with something that can NOT be dealt with automatically. That is why scientists test crows, ants, bees, bacteria and even plants – in order to find out whether they are capable of non-automatic reactions. You sometimes accept the positive results of these tests when the organism has a brain, but are adamant that problem-solving is automatic if the organism doesn’t have a brain. Drawing attention to the automatic behaviour of molecules or even of cells has absolutely no bearing on the question of whether single-celled organisms and/or cell communities including human beings (in the context of free will) have the autonomous intelligence to solve problems, master new conditions, take decisions, and possibly even come up with innovations.

(Sorry this reply was delayed, but I ran out of time yesterday. I can’t always keep up with you!)