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What Defines an Organism? Biologists Say 'Purpose.'
ICR News ^ | December 10, 2009 | Brian Thomas, M.S.

Posted on 12/10/2009 8:12:50 AM PST by GodGunsGuts

David Queller and Joan Strassmann, evolutionary biologists at Rice University, recently proposed a new way to describe what makes an organism a unified whole. They defined an organism as an entity made up of parts that cooperate well for an overall purpose, and do so with minimal conflict. But how do parts like these get together, and where does purposeful behavior come from?...

(Excerpt) Read more at icr.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: belongsinreligion; bible; biology; catholic; christian; christianright; creation; crevolist; design; evangelical; evolution; genesis; god; godsgravesglyphs; intelligentdesign; judaism; notasciencetopic; organism; propellerbeanie; protestant; purpose; science; spammer
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To: xcamel

Why are you telling me that, instead of her?


301 posted on 12/11/2009 11:17:14 AM PST by UCANSEE2
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To: UCANSEE2

It was just a rhetorical comment..


302 posted on 12/11/2009 1:15:04 PM PST by xcamel (The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it. - H. L. Mencken)
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To: UCANSEE2; MamaTexan

Because then it can’t be construed as a personal attack and then one can’t get in trouble for it.

You can still get the dig in and claim to not have violated forum rules.


303 posted on 12/11/2009 1:25:47 PM PST by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: metmom

Being responsible for getting people banned from FR really warms your heart, eh?


304 posted on 12/11/2009 2:37:54 PM PST by xcamel (The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it. - H. L. Mencken)
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To: metmom
You can still get the dig in and claim to not have violated forum rules.

Hang around FR long enough and you, too, can become a Master (or Mistress) of the Art of Insult while Totally Ignoring the Etiquette of FR.
[grin}

Seriously...some people speak without knowing the facts.

No skin off my nose, Hon.

-----

But thanks for the posts. You're a goodhearted lady.

305 posted on 12/11/2009 5:01:06 PM PST by MamaTexan (Government has become a criminal enterprise!)
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To: metmom; MamaTexan; xcamel

So, what you are saying is that XCAMEL is an ORGANISM that had a PURPOSE?


306 posted on 12/12/2009 11:16:36 AM PST by UCANSEE2
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To: Hank Kerchief

It seems to be easier for humans to stick to either a totally ‘religious’ or totally ‘scientific’ answer as the ‘truth’, than to admit that we don’t know.


307 posted on 12/12/2009 11:26:21 AM PST by UCANSEE2
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To: UCANSEE2
So, what you are saying is that XCAMEL is an ORGANISM that had a PURPOSE?

LOL! Maybe so.

I guess that's the part of the thread that caught my attention in the first place.

They defined an organism as an entity made up of parts that cooperate well for an overall purpose, and do so with minimal conflict.

The problem is, who gets to define what is 'purposeful' and who exactly sets decides the threshold of too much 'conflict'.

308 posted on 12/12/2009 12:31:37 PM PST by MamaTexan (Government has become a criminal enterprise!)
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To: UCANSEE2

“It seems to be easier for humans to stick to either a totally ‘religious’ or totally ‘scientific’ answer as the ‘truth’, than to admit that we don’t know.”

Yes, exactly. There is some kind of personal insecurity suffered by most people that makes them believe they must have some kind “universal answer for everything,” which usually turns out to be some accepted authority, religion, “science” so-called, or some political-philosophical authority.

The few who can be comfortable with the fact that for some things, like origins, whether of life or the universe, at present, we just don’t know.

Glad somebody gets it. Thanks of the comment.

Hank


309 posted on 12/12/2009 12:44:49 PM PST by Hank Kerchief
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