Not even one example? Not even a little one? Well, my rule stands then. Let's leave God out of the equation for the moment. This is the way nature works, whether you like it or not. In actual fact, my rule can be viewed as a law. A "law" implies a statement of order and relation in nature that has been found to be invariable under the same conditions (e.g., the law of gravitation). See Webster.
Posts by Vidqun
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405Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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405
Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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Vidqun
Viv, my rule says: Life begets life. Life brings forth life. That's the evidence before me. Please, would you be so kind as to let me know of any example, where that is not the case. Thank you in anticipation.
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405
Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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Vidqun
It's a rule from personal experience. This is what I see in nature. So far I have not seen anything else to contradict the rule, so I stick with it.
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405
Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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Vidqun
No Cofty, I don't believe the spirit or life force in a living organism is mysterious at all. While all the processes in your body function as they should, you are alive. When one or more fail, you die. God is the source of life in the sense that he originated and kickstarted all the processes that sustain life. The organism must take it from there, supplying nutrients and water to keep the said processes going.
I go for the rule: Life begets life. In addition, man has been bequeathed with a magnificent brain, superior to the animals. In that sense man was made in God's image. If God could create life, so could man. It's just a question of time. The question is: Would he be allowed the time to do it?
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405
Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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Vidqun
Cofty, with the speed of technological advancement and regular scientific breakthroughs, nothing is impossible. The sky is the limit. But I am not sure man is going to be allowed to go all the way. Then he would be a god. And with being a god, comes responsibility. Man has proved his irresponsibility over and over again. So yes, it's not impossible, but I don't see mankind being allowed the leeway to develop to such an extent that he becomes a danger to himself and all living things on the planet. Is it Chris Rea that sang: "The Road to Hell." If man carres on the way he's going, we will end up in a Mad Max scenario. Not sure whether that was what God had in mind. Somehow, I don't think so.
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405
Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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Vidqun
And here's the life cycle.
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405
Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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Vidqun
Ruby, as stated before in this thread, I believe its our definition of death are due for a drastic makeover. Some view viruses as encapsulated rogue DNA/RNA strands, but they are much more than that. Though inert, they are alive alright. As you said, their potential functionalism should define their living or dead status.
Because they can only make use of the equipment of living cells to replicate themselves, they are called obligatory intracellular parasites. Here are some illustrations of a T-even bacteriophage (host: E. coli) and its life cycle. It resembles a syringe, somewhat more complicated than our plastic variety, and is species specific. Again the chicken and egg question: Which of the two came first?
I find it hard to imagine that it would develop spontaneously by itself. Before anyone asks: Yes, I do believe viruses were designed and that with a fully functional, optimally tuned immune system, one would be able to resist any viral or bacterial attack.
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405
Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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Vidqun
Cofty, I cannot work the process of evolution into my present worldview for various reasons. But to be honest, finding life on Mars as well as demonstrating, in a lab, how life started from A-Z, would effectively demolish my present worldview and I would have to start the reconstruction process in all earnestness. But we are not there yet. Even if it could be done which I strongly doubt, then it would not be in my life time, I am reasonably sure of that.
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405
Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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Vidqun
Hi Viv, where have you been hiding? Good to hear from you. The wannabee microbiologist is again at your service.
Interesting for a guy on psychedelic mushrooms to know man will reach a point in future where he is able to destroy his earthly home. It’s called prophecy, don’t you know? The little swallow knows not to defecate in his nest, a lesson man has not learnt as yet, especially now in the nuclear age.
However, if vermin and insects invade your home and are in the process of destroying it, you get in pest control to get rid of them. Remember “Apocalypse Now!” and the general standing on the beach, saying: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” I, again, find solace in the words, “and to destroy those who are destroying the earth” (Rev. 11:18 NJB).
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405
Origin of Life
by cofty inin recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
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Vidqun
Cofty, If it is easy to cobble these processes together, even with simplified, rudimentary precursors, we should be seeing results quite soon, but perhaps not. My worldview is open to change. I constantly work at it, taking in consideration a variety of inputs, e.g., archaeology, development of language, etc. But to go into it right now, would derail your thread on the origin of life, so rather not.
One example that might fit, is a possible new definition of death. Doctors have developed a technique of "suspending" a badly injured person in low temperatures for three hours or more. They remove his blood and replace it with Ringer solution. This allows them time to fix for example an injury to his heart without him bleeding out. Gradually he is heated and the Ringer solution replaced with his blood. The person recovers fully without negative effects. In the olden days you were viewed as being dead when your heart stopped beating and your brain stopped functioning. So the processes, sustaining your life, could be "suspended" and then reactivated.