Quorum sensing; fights viral infections (Introduction)

by dhw, Sunday, November 20, 2016, 12:12 (2925 days ago) @ David Turell

QUOTE: “The team's research shows that by openly communicating with each other, bacteria strike the right balance between these two outcomes."

David’s comment: Quorum sensing occurs as bacteria gather in numbers and sense chemicals from each other. In this case the CRISPR-Cas mechanisms modifies the DNA to accept info about previous viral attacks. This is exactly as Shapiro would predict they do, modifying DNA to respond to stimuli.

Yes, indeed. And Shapiro believes bacteria are intelligent beings. All physical processes, including our own, involve the use of chemicals. With larger organisms, you accept that when decisions are made, the use of chemicals is directed by an intelligent mind. But you insist that an intelligent mind demands a brain, except that you believe in an afterlife, which means that an intelligent mind does not demand a brain:

Jesse Bering (Under “Afterlife: sceptical thought”): My bet remains that immortal souls — yours, mine, and Ian Stevenson’s — are but the elusive shadows dancing on the walls of our physical brains.

David’s comment: A skeptic just like Blackmore. Not hallucinations.

I should add that last week I had the doubtful pleasure of attending a talk on consciousness by Blackmore, and her muddled thinking left me sceptical of sceptics!