A template for philosophical debates 16 Jul 201216 Jul 2012 [Click through to Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal] Mind, equally popular is this syllogism: If P is true, then my opponent will be sad. I wish my opponent to be sad. Therefore P is true. Humor Logic and philosophy Philosophy
Administrative So I says.. 5 May 200918 Sep 2017 I told ’em! I told ’em! So I did. Millennium hand and shrimp! Read More
Epistemology Notes on novelty 6: Levels of description 7 Jan 201221 Jun 2018 Notes on Novelty series: 1. Introduction 2. Historical considerations – before and after evolution 3: The meaning of evolutionary novelty 4: Examples – the beetle’s horns and the turtle’s shell 5: Evolutionary radiations and individuation 6: Levels of description 7: Surprise! 8: Conclusion – Post evo-devo And having come to know that it is, we inquire… Read More
Biology Travel Diary 4 7 Oct 2009 I am in Göttingen now, talking to primatologists at the DPZ (Deutsches Primatenzentrum) conference on hybridisation. Neither I nor any of the said primatologists are in the picture above. This is an appropriate place to give a talk on species concepts, because in the 18th century, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach worked… Read More
The theological version is, I believe “If P is false, baby Jesus will be sad. I do not want to burn in hell for eternity/I want to sing with angels for eternity (delete as appropriate for your denomination), therefore P is true.”
This is a philosophical question on the scientific understanding of life. DNA is sometimes referred to as “strands of life.” Within the nucleus of a cell, DNA “unzips” itself during the S phase, and each single strand (RNA) is a template for a new complete strand. RNA is said to have “chemical messengers” that carry the necessary information to make the proteins needed for reproduction, but how can a chemical “contain” and “use” information? When it comes to the cellular level, I can understand cell reproduction because a cell contains organelles. A cell doesn’t start with a nucleus. It starts with DNA (nuclear division). But with DNA, reproduction is supposedly all happening simply because of chemical reactions. What tells the cell to “unzip?” Please don’t just leave me a website link. `
If you won’t read the material that answers your question, why should I bother trying to explain it to you?