Let's study ID: giraffe plumbing (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, September 22, 2021, 15:34 (1156 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: I am tackling your theory of evolution from a theistic perspective, because you are a theist. If you believe your God is capable of drawing up a 3.8-billion-year-old programme for every single evolutionary change and strategy and lifestyle for the whole of life’s history, or that he keeps popping in to perform operations and deliver instructions for every single one, why can’t you believe he is capable of designing “smart cells” that can do their own designing?
However, you know very well that I accept the logic of the design argument, which is one reason why I remain an agnostic, as opposed to being an atheist.

DAVID: Still championing second-hand designing.

dhw: I am championing the theistic theory that your God could have created intelligent cells that can do their own designing. Why do you think he is incapable of doing so, and has to preprogramme or dabble every individual evolutionary change, lifestyle, strategy, and natural wonder himself?

I think God can supply a set of instructions for new species, but asking cells to do it secondhand implies God must give the cells a vision of the future so that cells can plan for the new species needs as hey will exist in the future.

Fine tuning specifics
DAVID: A single cell is so fine-tuned its origin requires a designer. At what point of demonstrated complexity of design does one have to accept a designer exists? It is a logical next step in reasoning.

dhw: As above, I have always accepted the logic of the design argument. At what point of demonstrated intelligence does one have to accept that communities of cells which are able to cooperate, communicate and change their shape in order to regulate homeostatis or alternatively produce many different possible results – as in the next two quotes – may actually BE intelligent?

Or, as always presented, the cooperating cells are simply following design instructions.

Your gut has a big brain
"The Gulbransen lab studies enteric glial cells and how they regulate processes in the gut."
"Lately researchers have noticed glia have active signaling roles—they talk to other glia, to neurons and to immune cells to regulate homeostasis."

Controlling 3-D DNA relationships
DAVID: it shows the point that DNA is not just a protein-producing code but by having its shape adjusted many possible results are produced.