Brain expansion: Specific human gene found (Evolution)

by David Turell , Friday, June 19, 2020, 15:34 (1399 days ago) @ dhw

QUOTE: A certain gene called ARHGAP11B that is only found in humans triggers brain stem cells to form more stem cells, a prerequisite for a bigger brain.

DAVID: We now know what genetic change occurred to push human brain enlargement over five million years ago. In my theory God made the genetic change. His mind knew what would happen. dhw will tell us the brain cells themselves made the change. How did the cells know what they were doing?

dhw: You might as well ask how ants know what they’re doing when they construct complex cities. The principle behind my theory is the same: cells and cell communities are intelligences that cooperate. The brain and all its parts must have originated through the amalgamation of billions of cells – whether God dabbled it or not. The time came when the existing neocortex could not cope with what was required of it, and so its stem cells needed to form more stem cells. Now we know how they did it. Why do you insist that your God could not have given cells the intelligence to work out what they needed to do? Why does he have to tell ants how to build their cities, weaverbirds how to build their nests, stem cells how to add to their number? Back we go to the same question as before: if he could enable the brain cell communities to complexify themselves autonomously when needed, why couldn’t he enable them autonomously to add to their number when needed?

Your comment simply shows that we totally differ in our concepts of God, when you are willing to consider God. As far as I am concerned God runs evolution with purpose.