David's theory of evolution: Stephen Talbott's view; agency (Evolution)

by dhw, Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 12:11 (1248 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: Yes, Gilbert Ryle’s “ghost in the machine” is the nub of the matter. I’m afraid I still find it impossible to believe that your God placed instructions in the first cells for every single innovation and every single solution to every problem for the rest of time. Even you find that hard to believe, since you also allow him to dabble. We should remember that millions of cell communities fail to respond adequately to stimuli and demands, which already raises question marks over the efficacy of your God’s “instructions”. How much simpler it would be if the ghost in all the different machines was a form of intelligence which responds in different ways to stimuli and demands – those ways varying from failure to adaptation to innovation. THAT would explain the whole of evolution, and it still leaves a place for God as the inventor of both the ghost and the machine.

DAVID: Same old issue. Obviously intelligent information/instructions is at work, and the source is? Chance is laughable.

How can information be intelligent? It takes intelligence to collect and to use information. I have not advocated chance as the source. Not knowing the source does not preclude the existence of something, which of course is your argument when you defend your belief in God. I leave the source open, but your God is a possibility. I’m afraid I find your theory of 3.8-billion-year-old instructions for every undabbled life form, econiche, natural wonder, strategy etc. in life’s history no less laughable than chance.