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Politics : Evolution -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: one_less who wrote (9140)	9/29/2010 9:12:09 AM
From: Solon	Respond to of 69300

Just saw your post and thoroughly enjoyed it. Too busy to respond further just now but will comment later...

To: one_less who wrote (9140)	9/29/2010 7:47:01 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 69300

"The idea of intelligence being comprised of natural properties and functions in the ideal sense is something far more interesting and easily has application at the cellular level." At that level, what I would be meaning would be evolution operating to equip cells with the embedded information to react in the service of survival. This seems mysterious, just as it seems mysterious that the nostrils would have receptacles shaped to receive molecules of different shapes so that these could be interpreted by the brain. But maybe--what works...connecting with--what works over millions of years...is not mysterious at all. Who knows? I am sure that I respect the same processes evident in cells as do you and DAK. I choose, however, not to anthropomorphize sunflower cells and saliva cells. The unknown is not necessarily metaphysical and the metaphysical is not necessarily supernatural; and you know that THAT is where this all leads in the end. And before humanity crosses this chasm of uncertainty over the next decades there will indeed be burning bushes and Hale-Bopps. All life is united against death and it is not unreasonable for us to have a bias toward those little "survivors". And if a right action taken without thought is sufficient to denote "intelligence" for you, then I quite understand. But I am more comfortable in the old-fashioned school of considering intelligence as a product of brain activity. It gives me something to hang on to...