Chimps \'r\' not us: the role of gene enhancers (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, February 06, 2018, 18:52 (2483 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: I can’t seem to get you to realize that species consist of varying numbers of individuals. Individuals die, but so long as other individuals survive, the species survives. The invention of tools, weapons, clothes, use of fire improved the survivability of the species erectus for one to two million years. Survivability was not a minor issue or “of no issue”.

Of course at the individual level erectus survived. They had all the skills they needed, but they couldn't advance beyond that until a bigger brain gave them new thought equipment to move forward.

DAVID: I've told you His purpose is reaching the complexity of the human brain and its ability to study His works to the extent that we can understand them. Karen Armstrong's opinion that the Quran is the most advanced study by humans of God, states that we learn about Him only through His works. Yhis is one of the key anchors of my thinking about God.

dhw: You’ve told us that he watches us with interest, wants a relationship with us, and wants us to solve the problems he sets us, but I must confess I’d forgotten this particular reading of his mind: he designed the weaverbird’s nest, and faffed around with all kinds of brains for millions of years, because he wanted a brain that would study his works. And he preferred this indirect route to achieving what he wanted, because he preferred it.

That is all we can tell from the history of evolution. You struggle to dig further. I prefer not to, since nothing I propose proves anything.

dhw: As for learning about God, if he exists, there are only two possible ways of doing so: one is revelation, and the other is by studying his works. I don’t know if you have had any revelations, but I myself am stuck with studying his works, and I find that their history is that of a higgledy-piggledy bush of life, including humans, which might mean that his purpose was to create a higgledy-piggledy bush of life, including humans. You find it more reasonable to suppose that he created the weaverbird’s nest and umpteen hominid/hominin brains because his sole purpose was to produce the brain of Homo sapiens, though you can’t actually think of a reason why he chose to do it this way other than that he chose to do it this way.

Exactly. I also look at works. No revelations. I'm sorry you are disappointed, but I can't dig any further. Your digging into the history describes what we see, nothing more.