Pim said:
>Well, have you heard of the Volvox? Under predation this single cellular
organism >became multicellular.It seems that these larger cells could not be
eaten. >Definitely natural selection. The question is: Was a random mutation
responsible >for the ability of the volvox to form this multicellular form.
Bertvan:
Hi Pim. Needless to say I am stopped short by someone who doesn't have all
the answers. It's an attitude I admire and respect, but it is easier to
argue against someone who makes dogmatic assertions such as, "this is how it
happened, and I have tons of evidence, and the burden of proof lies upon
anyone who disagrees to prove me wrong." No, I hadn't heard of the volvox.
Is it something which has evolved permanently from a single celled to a
multicellular form, or is it like a slime mold, which has the ability to be
either single celled or multi celled? And the question is indeed: was random
mutation responsible for this ability?
Bertvan:
>>Do you believe free will exists?
Pim:
>Of course. But what does that have to do with the issue here?
Bertvan:
As you can see from other responses to the question, the most ardent
supporters of Neo Darwinism sometimes also passionately defend
determinism--the belief that mind is merely a function of the brain, and the
brain is similar to a complex computer and free will is an illusion--that
this computer type brain merely spews out what it is programed to do by genes
and life experience. I asked the question to see if you fit the stereotype.
You obviously don't.
Bertvan