Cellular intelligence: Animal Algorithms reviewed (Evolution)

by dhw, Sunday, November 21, 2021, 10:55 (1096 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: The issue is simple. Do living cells have the ability to create the new information needed to design a newly formed species from a previous form? Major innovations contain major new information. Information is not a vague subject, but over the last 50 years the subject of massive development of understanding which has been required for internet transmission as one example. And it has been applied to studies of evolution, especially by ID folks.

dhw: In your terms, the “ability to create the new information” is what I call intelligence. The issue is whether cells/cell communities do or do not have that ability. (See your bolded statement above). There's no need to faff around discussing the importance of “information” over the last 50 years, or the sources of “information” for the Cambrian, or the different uses of “information” in all sorts of fields. You say innovations are caused by God's dabbling or 3.8-billion-year-old programme for all innovations, lifestyles, solutions, natural wonders etc., and you refuse to accept the (theistic) possibility that he might have given cells the autonomous ability (intelligence) to design their own innovations, and bees and weaverbirds the ability (intelligence) to design their own dances and nests. That IS the issue! I doubt if we can take the discussion any further, other than by discussing new examples of intelligence. And I must thank you for so frequently providing such examples!

DAVID: Yes, something mental must produce information for design. I don't see how simple automatic cells do it.

Nor do I. That is why I propose that cells are not simple and automatic, but have a mental capacity capable of design.

DAVID: The information must appear in stem cells, and I'll stick with god supplying it.

We are talking about the ability of cells to change their form in response to new requirements or new problems. Since we know that stem cells can change their form, they may well be the key to the whole process – but alas I’m in no position to win the Nobel Prize for cracking all the mysteries of evolution!