Miscellany: gaps in evolution cause discontinuity (General)

by David Turell , Friday, June 25, 2021, 18:21 (1038 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: No, in a way his [Shapiro's] theory is as much an extrapolation as you use. He presented it as an important finding that had to be further understood in the problem of how speciation works.

His theory is that speciation is caused by intelligent cells changing their own structure. So is mine.

DAVID: I'm not aware anyone has done follow up work, but Lenski's E.coli attempt, which hasn't offered answers so far, continues. I wish some real advance in understanding would occur.

dhw: So do I. And I also wish you would stop pretending that Shapiro does not propose cellular intelligence as the driving force behind speciation.

DAVID: You keep unrealistically interpreting my view of Shapiro. Why is it so important for you to have a God that allows cells to do their own designing not under His control? To reduce God's power? What else?

dhw: It is you who keep pretending that Shapiro’s theory is not what he says it is. Your questions completely miss the point not just of this discussion but of the forum in general. We are trying to find solutions to all the unsolved mysteries. One of them is how evolution works. Neither of us accepts Darwin’s random mutations. What are the alternatives? Your divine 3.8-billion-year-old programme for all innovations and solutions etc. is one. Your God incessantly dabbling to design every innovation, solve every problem, give courses in camouflage and nest-building and navigation and self-defence is another. Cellular intelligence, possibly designed by your God, is another. Nothing whatsoever to do with God’s power. If he exists, you have no more idea than I have about his nature, purpose, or method. But the object of all our discussions is to propose theories and discuss their likelihood.

We have discussed and debated just as you describe. And we do it from two differing positions, so we don't reach lots of agreement. And that keeps the discussion going forward, and it must be of interest as it is being followed by a number of lurkers.