Cellular intelligence (Evolution)

by dhw, Thursday, February 17, 2022, 11:36 (792 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: I am an exact copy of all ID'ers. God's instructions win.

dhw: I’m surprised to hear from you that ID-ers like Shapiro, accept the concept of cellular intelligence (designed by God), and yet reject the concept of cellular intelligence in favour of God’s instructions, although many of them try to avoid even mentioning God. See also the thread on your theory for more dubious views on what ID-ers believe. But frankly, it doesn’t matter here what they do or don’t believe, since this discussion is between you and me.

DAVID: So I'm not allowed to quote my experts as you do with you adopted favorites.

But you don’t quote them. You tell me they accept Shapiro’s theory but reject it. You tell me they support what used to be your theory until now – that your God’s only purpose was to create humans plus food – but actually, no they don’t. All they support is the theory that life was designed.

dhw: I'd like to know if you think it's POSSIBLE that the parallels offer a rational basis for believing that the microworld's forms of intelligence are as autonomous as those of the macroworld.

DAVID: Why ask? It is rational to see the possibility of innate cellular intelligence, but how cells could possibly cause future design as well as all their obvious automatic activity is an extrapolation beyond rational belief.

For the umpteenth time, they do not “cause future design”. They respond to present needs or opportunities. Once they have created a successful design, then of course it will remain as it is until the next change in conditions either kills them off or makes them adapt or allows them to innovate. Their automatic activities are what enable them to remain stable as species.

Immunity system explaining B cells

DAVID: […] immunity is seen as automatic by most scientists I know.

dhw: Most cellular actions have to be automatic to preserve the status quo. It’s when things go wrong that autonomous intelligence manifests itself. Do most scientists you know believe that cells are provided with God’s instructions to deal with any new problems that might arise? […]

DAVID: ID article are not allowed to mention God, but He is inferred as the required designing mind.
And:
DAVID: Some questions come across as facetious. All ID folks believe as I do. Said many times.

Firstly, you said “most scientists I know”. I presume you know of scientists who are not ID-ers. Secondly, once again you dismiss my question as facetious. Why? You keep repeating over and over again that cells obey your God’s instructions. That is your explanation of their automaticity! I keep repeating that many activities have to be automatic to preserve the status quo, but other activities require intelligent reactions to new situations. The scientists you quote make no reference whatsoever to the question of HOW cells know what to do.