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

by dhw, Tuesday, November 29, 2016, 11:31 (2916 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID's Comment: A clear example that bacteria have many alternate pathways for metabolism. A simple recognition that oxygen availability is very low triggers the switch. No thought involved.

I am always fascinated by the concept of the microcosm within the macrocosm, and it fits so perfectly into your own theistic scheme of things that I am always surprised at your refusal even to consider it. Supposing your God really exists, as the ultimate macrocosm of consciousness. And supposing he really did imbue inorganic matter with life. Can you not conceive of each organism itself, from humans down to bacteria, being a microcosmic reflection of his consciousness? And one step further into the microcosmic world – of each multicellular creature itself being a macrocosm consisting of microcosms (i.e. cell communities) that are also reflections of his consciousness? We go about our daily business, and so do they. I am not saying that many of their functions are not automatic. So are ours. But just as we take decisions to deal with new situations, so perhaps do they. Not with the same self-awareness as us – they are even more limited in their scope than we are – but in just the same way as other social organisms (the ants being my favourite example) combine their limited intelligences to create the most amazing structures and processes. I find it quite heartwarming to think of all these communities of tiny beings hard at work inside me to help me function. And I actually find it easier to believe than the idea that they are all machines preprogrammed 3.8 billion years ago to choose the right “pathway” for each situation or, just as bizarre, that your God has to keep intervening to show them the way. And we should not forget that much of the time, they don’t actually choose the right “pathway” – hence extinctions, not to mention doctors and undertakers!