Miscellany (General)

by David Turell , Saturday, August 07, 2021, 17:03 (1202 days ago) @ dhw

Back to theodicy: fixing genome mistakes
DAVID: Humans are slowly learning to edit genome metabolic errors. The complexity of the genome is mind-boggling, showing us a designer is required
Back to theodicy: banishing bad bacteria
DAVID: humans can solve the bad bacteria problems that challenge human food supplies. Most E. coli are 'good' in human gut biomes, but as with the human population, 'bad' ones also exist.

dhw: I have no idea why you have included this under “Back to theodicy”. But presumably the implication is that humans are left to undo the harm caused by your God’s designs.

Exactly

Consciousness and other science mysteries
Quote: "As thukdam researchers continue to seek a signal of post-mortem consciousness of some sort, it's fair to ask what — and where — consciousness is in the first place. It is a question with which Big Think readers are familiar. We write about new theories all the time: consciousness happens on a quantum level; consciousness is everywhere."

DAVID: It seems the body maintains some control over bacteria that can decompose, while the brain has ceased activity. The decomposing bugs are in the gut, and generally once the heart stops pumping, immunity defense disappears. A real puzzle.

dhw: It certainly is. I don’t know what the researchers are hoping to prove. If there are no signs of consciousness, it can mean that consciousness dies when the cells die (materialism), or the soul has departed (dualism). If there are signs, either the cells are still producing consciousness, or the soul is still hanging around.

Or, the monk's immune systems are controlling the bad GUT bugs from getting out to start decomposition.

dhw: My computer keeps breaking down. If I don't reply in the next day or two, it will mean that my computer has died - though probably not gone to heaven.

I doubt my prayers can help, but I wish your computer well or I can bless the new one

On another subject, I have Neil Thomas Taking Leave of Darwin. The first 70 pages are an erudite (and for me boring) recitation of the history and criticisms of Darwin's theory. The only mistake I found was to attribute to Arthur Russel Wallace full support of natural selection, whereas he fully supported God as designer. Now Thomas' reasoning can appear, I hope.