More Denton: Reply to Tony (Introduction)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Monday, August 10, 2015, 19:08 (3184 days ago) @ dhw

Dhw: As regards mainstream evolution requiring an origin that contains all possibilities, you are absolutely right, and this is why I am so sceptical of David's view that all possibilities were programmed into the first cells, and am interested in finding out how many possibilities you think were programmed into each of your prototypes (as opposed to their working things out for themselves). -> I suspect Tony will be able to give me his own comment, but this is getting too complicated. Last time you said the programme WAS the DNA and the overlying modification mechanisms. I suggested the programme had to be whatever directed the modification mechanisms to change the DNA (i.e. the inventive mechanism), which you have always said is within the DNA, but which you claim works automatically and has no autonomy. In my analogy, I am pointing out that my version of the inventive mechanism (cellular intelligence) has produced programmes resulting in another inventive mechanism (human intelligence) which can create programmes of its own. Most people would say our inventive mechanism is the brain, and my version of the cellular inventive mechanism is the equivalent of the cell's "brain".--Actually, we don't really know what, if anything, reads the code. We know that the code is DNA, and we know that the expression of certain parts of that code (variables and functions) change based on their current environment (chemical environment inside the cell).-To answer DHW's question about possibilities is likely impossible, due to my own ignorance. How many behaviors does a dog have? How many behaviors does a bird have? I would guess, that they have something similar to a finite state machine built in, though one that is far, far more complex than anything that we use today. I also suspect that the state machine is wired to read inputs from other parts of the prototype. I.E. Migration patters in birds, turtles, salmon, etc. being tuned to some sensory organ that detects magnetism, gravity, temperature, or some other event. -In this case, you can have some simple set and get functions tied to a basic mechanic, and leave the grunt work up to other parts of the program, much like we do with AI pathfinding. What I mean is, when the creature is born or reaches their migration target for the first time, that place is imprinted on them. After that, some natural trigger, kickstarts the migration behavior, which really only says go from point a to point b, and allows other natural programs (swim, fly, etc) to handle the actual grunt work of getting there.

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.