New Miscellany (General)

by dhw, Friday, January 24, 2025, 11:33 (6 days ago) @ David Turell

LUCA

DAVID: The molecular clock approach uses sheer estimates. Earliest life was quite complex as LUCA is described.

dhw: And how does that tell you the length of time it normally takes for life to appear and complexify?

DAVID: It doesn't. It tells when life appeared, not how long it took to develop.

You have edited out the relevant comments that led to my question:

QUOTE: The inferred age suggests that the process required a surprisingly short interval of geologic time.

DAVID: The striking point is how quickly life appeared after the Earth formed. Strongly supports the concept of a designer at work.

Now perhaps you will tell us how you and the author know how long life normally takes to appear.

The brain: concept cells

dhw: […] It suggests to me that cells are living, cognitive entities which can perform different activities and take on different roles according to different requirements. Very much in line with Shapiro, wouldn’t you say?

dhw: You wouldn't say.

DAVID: No, I wouldn't say.

To be continued…See later.

DAVID: very early tentative research into memory function. Identifying specific neuron function is amazing. Animals must have place neurons but not concept ones I assume.

dhw: Does that mean your dog doesn't recognize you?

DAVID: He sees me and reacts immediately.

dhw: So how does that mean he has no concept cells? And are you sure that his recognition is immediate, rather than taking 300 milliseconds?

DAVID: Perhaps slower.

Ah well, I don’t suppose your dog cares much whether he does or doesn’t have concept cells! Let’s go on to the next example of cellular intelligence:

T-cells help gut immunity

QUOTES: New research [..] shows that pathogen-fighting immune cells called tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells (TRM cells) go through a surprising transformation -- and relocation -- as they fight infections in the small intestine.

"Looking at small intestines after a viral infection, the scientists found that the gut releases chemical signals to instruct immune cells where to go and what to do.“

DAVID: these specialized T cells are under tight chemical controls to place them exactly where needed. The control proteins are yet to be delineated. Another pure example of design.

The whole article exemplifies the manner in which cells can transform themselves in response to different requirements, and cooperate with other cells within their community. Cells “instructing” other cells as and when necessary suggests to me (as it does to many experts in the field) that cells have the autonomous ability to absorb and process information and take their own decisions on how to use it. The possible origin of this form of intelligence is, of course, an open question, and I for one can quite understand the view that it would require a designer God to create such a mechanism.