Cell complexity: they 'think' through chemical processes (Introduction)

by David Turell , Sunday, May 06, 2018, 15:19 (2394 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: QUOTE: "'Proteins form unfathomably complex networks of chemical reactions that allow cells to communicate and to 'think' -- essentially giving the cell a 'cognitive' ability, or a 'brain'," she said. "It has been a longstanding mystery in science how this cellular 'brain' works.”
“'We could never hope to measure the full complexity of cellular networks -- the networks are simply too large and interconnected and their component proteins are too variable”.

Thank you for this highly illuminating study. I'm sure you will have noted that these observations about “thinking through chemical processes” would apply to bacteria as well as to the cell communities which make up our own brain.

DAVID’s comment: this study fits exactly my concept of automatic molecular activity. The limited number of a 'rigid set of mathematical principles' describes this to a 'T'. this is like a cellular brain, as the author states, but because of superior design it becomes a brain equivalent. This is an answer to the Shapiro approach, and fits my knowledge of biochemistry.

dhw: I shan’t pretend to understand the science, but the implications are crystal clear. The cell has its equivalent of the brain, and “thought” is produced by complex networks of chemical reactions, i.e. in individual cells (bacteria) and in cell communities (the brain). At a single stroke, this article supports two of my hypotheses: 1) cells are intelligent; 2) intelligence emerges from materials. The third stage I have proposed in my “reconciliation” post is that this intelligence may be in the form of energy which can exist independently of the materials. (NB “may be” – I remain uncommitted.) You have agreed to this. Could it be, then, that we are moving towards consensus?

I see no agreement between us. The activities follow design patterns. As a result it is obvious they are all automatic chemical reactions, as they all mimic each other. All of the interlocking processes, controlling each other is most likely the way life appears and works.It does not require some sort of 'intelligence' at the controls because all the controls are intelligently designed in the processes themselves. Understanding the science tells me this.