New Miscellany Parts 1 &:2: evolution, intelligence, eco (General)

by David Turell , Monday, May 05, 2025, 18:37 (4 days ago) @ dhw

Evolution

DAVID: Shapiro's theory is a mighty stretch of bacterial abilities.

dhw: Since intelligence and life itself began with single cells, of course subsequent forms of life and of intelligence become a “mighty stretch”. The process is called evolution. You have not explained how your God could organize dog-eat-dog without giving every dog its own intelligence. Your alternative would have to be that he plays games with himself, not only instructing them how to kill and how to avoid being killed (strategies) but also providing them with their various weapons (physical attributes). Dog-eat-dog becomes god-eat-god!

Your fantasies are now hallucinations. All dogs can think as can all prey animals

Mind and cosmos

QUOTE: “Eventually, I came to believe that intelligence is not a byproduct of the brain, but a fundamental property of the universe—a kind of informational ether that certain structures, like the brain or an AI model, can tap into.'” (dhw’s bold)

DAVID: In NDE's the consciousness appears to be separate from the brain.
And:
DAVID: We have no answer to the issue of consciousness with a non-functioning brain. We know it seems separate.

dhw: For the fifth time, the article is not about NDEs (in which consciousness generally remains individualized) but about the concept of intelligence as a fundamental property of the universe which we can “tap into”. I have asked if you understand this concept, but I can only assume that you find it as incomprehensible as I do.

DAVID: It makes some sense if you wish to dip into Panentheism and imagine the universe as an invention in God's mind.

dhw: I don’t understand that either. Do you really believe that the material world doesn’t exist? Of course you don’t. The universe may have been your God’s material invention, but how does that come to mean that when an atheist thinks to himself that there is no God, his brain is actually “tapping into” God’s mind?

Why not? But don't tell the atheist.

Theoretical origin of life

DAVID: There are no contradictions in the view I take: God wanted to create us and protect us with a great food supply.

dhw: And so according to you, that is why he designed and had to cull 99.9 out of 100 species and econiches that had no connection with us and our food, and you can’t think of any reason other than his messy, cumbersome inefficiency. Wouldn’t you say this contradicts the notion of your God as being omnipotent and omniscient?

For the umpteenth time, God evolved us in a cumbersome way, but that was His choice. It was quite effective. We are here running the world.

Whale’s contribution to nutrition

QUOTE: The contribution that these animals will make to solving our climate crisis through stimulating photosynthesis is under debate and their ability to balance the global carbon budget in the face of human-related emissions may be negligible.

DAVID: whale contributions from poop to pee to dead carcasses vitally support ocean life. All species make their contributions in many ways.

dhw: Thank you as always for this illuminating insight into Nature’s wonders. I’ve singled out the quote, because it’s so very relevant to the whole problem of human interference destroying the balance of nature. How ironic, that the most intelligent beings on the planet should be using their expertise to destroy the planet and themselves!

DAVID: At least no more whaling!

dhw: Good point, except that some countries – e.g. Japan – are still killing them. But you can hardly blame them when you realize that the USA continues to expand its already huge fossil fuel industries, which will have vastly more impact on our “ability to balance the global carbon budget”.

Just accept your Petrol will cost less.