Biological complexity; bacteria sense touch (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, August 16, 2017, 15:29 (2656 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: A very important breakthrough for those of us who believe it is possible for brainless organisms to be intelligent, although it is quite surprising to find a dualist who believes that intelligence can survive the death of the brain and yet refuses to believe that intelligence can exist in organisms that have no brain. All the signs are that bacteria are sentient, cognitive, decision-making, intelligent beings, and if they have some kind of equivalent to the nervous system, it may well be that they have some kind of equivalent to the brain itself.

DAVID: All we see is an automatic calcium ion reaction, just as ions are automatically produced to send signals on our nerves. Intelligently designed automaticity in an early form of life.

dhw: It is not possible to see intelligence. As a dualist you believe that intelligence is the immaterial power that gives instructions to the material body. We can only see the material body’s manifestations of intelligence - in humans and in all other organisms.

What we see are the manifestations of intelligent planning and instructions.