Bryan, my first post to you was made on February 14--interestingly, the festival of EROS--the god, or is it goddess? of erotic? biologic? or romantic love? Or what?

Following, is the dialogue we had when we first started:
Quote:
Originally Posted By: Revlgking on FEB. 14.
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ME: Hey IG! I see, You are a cell biologist? A student? A researcher? Or what?
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YOU: Prof/scientist.

ME: You just arrived when I need you, thanks!

YOU: I've 'been here' since 2010...

ME: We first met, in Oct., when Jean and I celebrated out BIG 60. It was fun.EH? laugh

Keep in mind, I am seriously interested in all the sciences, including biology--and my granddaughter is at Toronto University and is engaged to a biologist. I think you know him, eh? smile

YOU: Small world; I was at sick kids (the real one in Toronto, not the pretend one in NYC) until ~2 years ago.

Bryan
The fascinating dialogue--Or is it a debate?--continues ....

BTW, is it possible to study any subject, including religion--scientifically?
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Originally Posted By: ImagingGeek
Originally Posted By: Tutor Turtle
Originally Posted By: ImagingGeek

Cells interact.
Yes they do, in a lot of ways, similar to humans.

Not in any way vaguely similar to humans. I'm a cellular/molecular biologist, and let me tell you; there are no similarity in the way people vs cells interact. A closer approximation would be how humans and baking bread interact...

THE NEXT PROTAGONIST ENTERED
Originally Posted By: Tutor Turtle
Originally Posted By: Bryan
The mind is an emergent property from the interactions of those cells.

Just like you. You are an emergent Bryan based on the interaction of humanity.

My emergent properties are not dependent on anything other than my biology. Society itself is an emergent property of humans; but not vice-versa. Perhaps you should learn a little about emergence before pontificating on it.

Originally Posted By: Tutor Turtle
Amazing how such chaos and randomness has produced such an emergent technology and consciousness that is doomed to become obsolete and valueless to so many.

Ahh, the good ol' red herrings of randomness and the need for supernaturalism to somehow give our lives value.

Firstly, randomness has little to do with it. Emergent (biological) properties are a product of chemical interactions, which in turn are predicated on physical properties driven by concrete and immutable 'laws'. There is no randomness to that; just stochasticism. Indeed, these processes are as directional and immutable as gravity. The only thing random in our biology (aside from certain environmental factors) is mutation - everything else abides by the distinctly non-random 'laws' of physics.

As for needing supernaturalism (i.e. a 'soul') to have self-value, or to value human life, is a myth created by the religieux (religious) to validate their beliefs and to maintain their self-sense of moral superiority.

The fact you need some supernatural aspect to feel self-worth and/or see worth in others says far more about you than it does about those of us who value people for no reason other than they in-and-of-themselves have value. Bryan


Bryan and TT. First of all, as one who values people for what people are, my interest is in exploring whatever needs exploring, to the best of our ability, in the hope of finding that which generates, organizes and delivers that which is as close to the truth as is humanly possible. IS THIS CLEAR?

If anyone catches me pretending to be morally superior, do not hesitate to call me on such BS, OK!

Here I add: I find this exchange above--plus the ones that follow which I have read--absolutely fascinating to read.

G~O~D--Now & ForeverIS:Nature, Nurture & PNEUMA-ture, Thanks to Warren Farr&ME AT www.unitheist.org