World Transformation Movement (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 14:30 (1484 days ago) @ dhw

GEORGE: Well, that's a forthright view! Thanks.

I've been looking through other threads on the site.
Those about Near Death Experiences I have commented on in the past,
and my view that they are based on inadequate anecdotal evidence,
often embroidered by later writers, still stands.
Most of the items, like Nature's Wonders, about biology or evolution
are too specialised for me to have an opinion, except that they
have natural explanations and do not support Intelligent Design.
The rest are mainly on theology which is a completely vacuous subject.

So I'm afraid I don't have much new to contribute at present.
But I may be back with some different topics if that is OK.

dhw: More than OK, George. You were one of our very first contributors, and have always enlivened and illuminated our discussions!

You will have gathered that there is one burning topic which has occupied us for years and is tied in with your comment about intelligent design. (I prefer lower case, in order to distinguish it from the divine variety.) While I am not 100% committed to the theory, I am hugely impressed by the conclusion of several renowned scientists that single cells (including bacteria) are intelligent, sentient, decision-making beings. No one will deny that living organisms are hugely complex, and James A. Shapiro proposes that these complexities have been designed by the cells themselves (he calls it "natural genetic engineering"), as they cooperate with one another in order to adapt to or exploit ever changing environmental conditions. This is very different from Darwin's reliance on chance mutations causing speciation. You don't have be a biologist to recognize the amazing complexity of the cell itself, let alone the complexities of the cell communities of which our organs and whole bodies are composed. Cellular intelligence provides an explanation for speciation, and so it would be interesting to hear your reaction to this theory. No obligation of course! We'll welcome your contributions on any subjects you choose.

I would also.