At 07:11 PM 11/4/97 -0600, Eduardo G. Moros wrote:
>Hi Glenn,
>
>First of all, let's try to narrow the topic lest we get all entangled-up and
>people start thinking I'm discussing old-earth geology with you. On the
>matter in question, I thought we were talking on the wiring of the brain. On
>this subject you may be interested in the recent articles by Bejan. He says
>that the "tree" networks in nature are fully "deterministic" in nature. I'll
>give you some links below. I'm not 100% sure Bejan's discovery applies in
>this case but I think it does.
Here is why I don't think that it applies. One can clone a tree, and the
branching patterns is not identical in the two offspring. Thus while the
tree shape is universal, the exact position and length of each branch is NOT
determined by Bejan's type of dynamics. The brains wiring is not entirely
determined either.
Now before we continue this exchange have in
>mind that I have not read the book you read and that I have not read "all" the
>posting on the ASA reflector on this subject. I usually concentrate in a
>single point and I am usually brief because time is a prime commodity these
>days in my career. Now, I am more than willing to carry on a discussion on a
>given point. I have said a couple of times the last two days that I see no
>connection between your (or Deacon's) argument and darwinian derivatives.
I would suggest that you take a look at the article. To determine the exact
branching pattern requires numbers, lots of numbers. You have to have an
number representing the x location, the y location and the Z location for
each of the 10 billion neurons. You then have to specify the number of
dentrites off of each cell (another 10 billion numbers) and you then have to
have 3 numbers to specify the length and direction of each dendrite. Only
with all these numbers is the brain truely determined. If you don't have
that many numbers then you have an underdetermined system--a system that has
freedom to do what it wants. It is also a system in which no one can say,
"My genes made me do it." because there is not enough storage space in the
dna to contain that many numbers. Thus no one can say they are a murderer
because of their genetic make up; no one can say they are gay because of
their makeup. WE have freedom to do what we decide.
glenn
Foundation, Fall and Flood
http://www.isource.net/~grmorton/dmd.htm