(split) Atheism and acceptance of science

Discussion in 'General Science & Technology' started by S.A.M., Jul 10, 2009.

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  1. quadraphonics Bloodthirsty Barbarian Valued Senior Member

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    What I said was it's a repair of the genes, as a whole. The resulting organism avoids the problems associated with simple instinct, while keeping the benefits.

    But I suppose you could call that a repair of the instinct as well, if you wanted.

    By reproducing more successfully than the genes that don't. You may have at some point encountered the term "natural selection?"

    Only in situations where the selfish ends of the gene are served by sensible cooperation (whatever you consider that to be). In other settings the description would be rather brutal.
     
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  3. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    I was assuming its not all happening on the same gene, but repair of the instinct is also inadequate since the instinct is not modified just suppressed, selectively.

    Yes, but its the first time I realised there was an executive decision behind it.

    So its a dog eat dog world at the genetic level, and yet millions of them somehow manage to form so many unique organisms on a graduated level of organisation that is both sensitive and remarkably precise.

    Hidden objects working at cross purposes indeed.
     
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  5. Dub_ Strange loop Registered Senior Member

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    For christ's sake, this is just too much. Have we not just been through this within the very hour!?
     
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  7. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    You mean about ascribing motivations where none exist? Like saying "for christs sake"?

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  8. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Congratulations, you're a Darwinist!
     
  9. Dub_ Strange loop Registered Senior Member

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    Christ himself is facepalming right now.
     
  10. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    I think you'll find Darwin was very careful to keep religion and didactic metaphors (as well as heuristic algorithms) out of it.

    No lawyers in his Origin of Species.


    Is that a didactic metaphor? Or a heuristic algorithm?

    Here you might find these useful:

    :runaway::facepalm::wallbang:
     
  11. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Can you explain what you mean by those terms?

    Darwin needed to keep religion out of it for two reasons:
    1. There is no place for religion in a scientific theory.
    2. The prevailing opinions of the time prevented him from expressing his feelings even in a non-scientific contexts. He did feel that evolution replaced the role of God in creating life forms.
     
  12. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Apparently Dawkins has no such reservations. Its all one and the same to him.

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  13. Dub_ Strange loop Registered Senior Member

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    Who said anything about algorithms? Leave it to you to look up the wrong usage of the term heuristic.
     
  14. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    The algorithm is a didactic metaphor! I'm alluding to aphoristic discourse here, if you don't mind :bugeye:

    Anyway, they make more sense in the absence of theoretical predictability:

    Heuristic algorithms are often employed because they may be seen to "work" without having been mathematically proven to meet a given set of requirements
     
  15. Dub_ Strange loop Registered Senior Member

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    :runaway:
     
  16. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    See? I told you it would be useful :itold:
     
  17. quadraphonics Bloodthirsty Barbarian Valued Senior Member

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    It's all happening on the same genome.

    I thought you were a biologist by profession? Why are you going to such lengths to misunderstand this stuff?

    How is that "inadequate?" If selective suppression of an instinct improves fitness, what is lacking?

    What executive?

    And I thought you were a lifelong theist?

    Yep. Pretty impressive, huh? It's kind of like geopolitics, in that way.

    The kicker is that it takes a really long time.
     
  18. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    So the effect of learning is across the genome? All of it? I see.

    The fact that the instinct itself is not modified. It cannot be since acquired characteristics are not inherited.

    Yeah, infinity most probably. Except for all the learned stuff, that has to be relearned every single time.
     
  19. Dub_ Strange loop Registered Senior Member

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    She has elsewhere identified herself as a "nutritionist," which I am charitably assuming as being close to a dietitian. I feel embarrassed for having to step forward to say this for her, but I think it's important that readers aren't misled into believing that a professional biologist would have such misguided beliefs about the theory in question -- something which she obviously has no qualms with.
     
  20. quadraphonics Bloodthirsty Barbarian Valued Senior Member

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    "Across?"

    So?

    The only thing you are demonstrating here is that you are either unable or unwilling to understand this stuff.
     
  21. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Think of it as a learning experience in didactic metaphors. No need to step in for me, I like to play around with my ideas.

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  22. quadraphonics Bloodthirsty Barbarian Valued Senior Member

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    Ah. That explains a lot, actually: just enough familiarity to pretend understanding, but without any direct career stakes in getting it right.
     
  23. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    *deleted unnecessary hocus pocus*

    Got it all from reading popsci articles actually. Just a high school education. Actually work as a cook in a local charity. Barely speak English.

    Now can we look at the concepts keeping in mind my low IQ and lack of education and training?

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    Last edited: Aug 13, 2009
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