[tortoise]

How can matter write algorithms? Has the issue been so conclusively decided that even materialists have given up on randomness and are ascribing intelligence to rocks?

Back to Computational Information Theory 101 for you. "Algorithms" and "information" are the same mathematical stuff. Certain engineering disciplines (e.g. those that deal primarily with zero-order machinery) make a distinction, but it is only a distinction of convenience within that practice. Nobody ever said matter "writes" algorithms.

Let's talk about another entirely different topic in information theory. That topic would be Signal-to-Noise ratios...

[RadioAstronomer]

That topic would be Signal-to-Noise ratios

I deal with that every day. :-)

[gore3000]

Nobody ever said matter "writes" algorithms.

Well, that's what it seemed you were saying when you said that:

Some algorithmic machinery had to exist if the universe was to exist, but the specific selection of algorithms is utterly arbitrary.

If that's not what you meant, then what did you mean?