Natures wonders: trees induce ants to protect them (Introduction)

by dhw, Friday, September 22, 2017, 13:23 (2617 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: We all know organisms can use epigenetic mechanisms (from God) to adapt. Obvious.

dhw: If epigenetic mechanisms are used to adapt, then yes indeed, it is obvious that epigenetic mechanisms are used to adapt. Now perhaps you will answer the question: do organisms use these epigenetic mechanisms autonomously, i.e. in this case did the ants work out how to use the tree’s “welcome arrangement” all by themselves, without divine instructions, without divine preprogramming, but purely and simply through their own (possibly God-given) intelligence?

DAVID: It is just like Reznick's guppies. They changed sizes by themselves using genetic mechanisms God gave them. I view the ants as doing the same.

The “genetic mechanisms” are what I would call cellular intelligence, i.e. the autonomous ability of cell communities to process information from the environment and take decisions on the best way to use that information by changing themselves. Thank you for confirming the autonomy of the mechanism ("by themselves"), which is the basis of my hypothesis, although I freely admit that we have no proof that this autonomous mechanism is capable of producing the major adaptations and innovations that result in speciation.