Re: Intelligence without a brain?

From: FMAJ1019@aol.com
Date: Sun Oct 01 2000 - 23:17:50 EDT

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    In a message dated 10/1/2000 8:14:36 PM Pacific Daylight Time, DNAunion
    writes:

    > >DNAunion: It appears to me that you agree that intelligence is not
    > confined
    > to a brain, and further, that intelligence is not confined to life as we
    > know
    > it. Is this true?
    >
    > >FMA: The "actualization-exclusion-specification" triad mentioned above
    > also fits natural selection rather precisely. One might thus conclude that
    > Dembski's argument establishes that natural selection can be recognized as
    > an intelligent agent. "
    >
    > http://inia.cls.org/~welsberr/zgists/wre/papers/dembski7.html
    >
    > It's important to define intelligence since otherwise the use of
    > "Intelligent Design" can lead to a lot of confusion.
    >
    > >DNAunion: Okay, so will you answer my original questions.
    > (1) Is intelligence confined to brains?
    > (2) Is intelligence confined to life as we know it?

    That's a hard question. It depends on the definition of intelligence. Can
    natural forces appear to be "intelligent"? Can intelligence exist outside
    life as we know it? That's why I am asking for a definition of the term
    intelligence since it seems that the way it is used by the ID movement, it
    does not exclude natural forces as the intelligent designer. Would I call
    natural selection "intelligent"? I doubt it. But if it follows logically from
    the definition such as shown by Wesley then either intelligence is used
    incorrectly or intelligence is far more inclusive than I would have made it.
    However for us to understand the meaning of ID we need to address these
    definitions and issues. Or better even, ID'ers should deal with these isssues.



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