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To: Alamo-Girl; js1138
What has been overlooked is that we are speaking to natural systems not artificial systems.

Uh ... I've seen one or two threads which have lots of vigorous debate over whether any life is natural. The assertion is that it's a design of some kind.

762 posted on 01/15/2005 12:12:17 PM PST by PatrickHenry (<-- Click on my name. The List-O-Links for evolution threads is at my freeper homepage.)
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To: PatrickHenry; Alamo-Girl

I'm still trying to get my mind around how you can have a meaningful abstract definition that can't be applied in the abstract.

What does "artificial" mean in the absence of an object's history?


764 posted on 01/15/2005 12:15:05 PM PST by js1138 (D*mn, I Missed!)
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To: PatrickHenry; js1138; betty boop
Thank y'all for your replies!

The term "natural systems" means systems which occur in nature. It doesn't speak to design one way or the other.

js1138's question is like a challenge.

If the structure is the same, the difference between natural and artificial can be discerned from origin if that can be determined by the observer. I'm thinking of sci-fi human-looking artificial lifeforms, laboratory "life" in a test tube, etc.

For instance: Did it originate involuntarily (nature) or voluntarily? And if voluntarily, by replication (nature) or by creation? And if by creation, by intelligence of another lifeform (artificial) or by God (nature)?

766 posted on 01/15/2005 12:24:39 PM PST by Alamo-Girl
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