Big brain evolution: new human brain area found (Evolution)

by dhw, Sunday, December 09, 2018, 10:32 (2174 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: It all comes down to whether the brain cells decided to form a new area on their own and by their design to fit a future need they perceived or God designed it. I'm with God. I do not believe cells can imagine the future and design for it in advance.

dhw: That is not what it comes down to at all! You persist in claiming that all evolutionary changes are either divinely preprogrammed or dabbled in advance of any need for them! I don’t know how often you want me to repeat that my hypothesis is that the changes are a RESPONSE to changing conditions. […] You pride yourself on your use of science as a basis for your hypotheses. I wonder how many scientists would agree with you that God took out pre-baleen teeth and popped in a few million years later to give the suction-feeders baleens. (See the baleen thread)

DAVID: I am a believing scientist just like 40% of physicians. I know your theories but I don't believe they are possible in the way I view God.

I still wonder how many of the 40% would agree with you that your God took out pre-baleen teeth and popped in a few million years later to give suction-feeders baleens. And of course with your fixed views on God’s purpose and method you will reject any other theories. On that subject, see the new thread on “Divine purposes and methods”.

DAVID: (under “New found plant defences”) [...] How did Pseudomonas bacteria learn to mimic jasmonic acid? Trial and error? Did God bother to design this? At times the findings have no apparent explanation.

dhw: I like your question about whether your God would bother, and once more you are confronted with the fact that you can’t find an explanation. How about the hypothesis that cells/cell communities have their own form of intelligence (possibly God-given) to work out their own ways to survive and/or to improve their chances of survival?

DAVID: I not disappointed at not seeing a possible God move. Remember I don't live in his mind but you are there all the time. I make an attempt to explain what I can, if i see something logical as a reason.

You have already entered his mind when you tell us that his sole purpose for creating life and evolution was to produce H. sapiens so that we would think about him and have a relationship with him. You say the new found plant defences have no apparent explanation. I offer you a possible explanation which includes your God as its possible source, but you won’t even consider it.