David's theory of evolution: More Stephen Talbott's view IV (Evolution)

by David Turell , Monday, March 15, 2021, 17:12 (1138 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: The pattern that emerges from this article could hardly be clearer: that the purpose behind all the cellular activity is survival (to which I would add the all-important factor of improving chances of survival – hence innovation), and there is no blind evolutionary algorithm but a continual process of intelligent organisms (cells) deliberately seeking their own ways of implementing their purpose. Nobody knows the origin of this intelligence, but Talbott, like Darwin, is focusing on Chapter Two of life.

DAVID: It is easy for me to see the necessity for a designing mind as the 'evolutionary algorithm'. Every Talbott insight leads me to God. I wonder where is leads Talbott?
And
DAVID: …all of this struggle to understand is easy if you realize a designing mind is behind all of it. Talbott is pure ID without being ID.

dhw: According to you, ID does not commit itself to your God as the designing mind. I would suggest that Talbott’s arguments should lead him to Shapiro’s theory, and the question of how life and cellular intelligence first came into existence can remain open.

DAVID: ID just doesn't mention God but He is always understood as the designer. It is fun to check Talbott as He completes his book and continues to wonder. I don't think Shapiro's theory would satisfy Talbott in regard to the origin of purposeful activity in life.

dhw: I don’t think Shapiro sets out to explain origins. As I understand it, his theory explains how evolution works – not through random mutations and not through your God personally programming or dabbling every innovation, strategy, lifestyle etc., but through the intelligence of cells. If, as you tell us, Shapiro is a practising Jew, then presumably he would believe that God is the inventor of the intelligent cell – but I suspect that he is wise enough to separate his scientific work from his personal beliefs.

Not from me. Known fact: Shapiro was president of his Temple. He never has discussed God's role as a practicing scientist. For Shapiro bacteria modify DNA with purpose, source of purposeful activity is a black box to Shapiro, which is what I implied above..