[MD] The difference between a Monet and a finger painting

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Dave to Ham]
I was listening to the CBC "Understanding Science" in one of them 
there was a discussion about the problems that arises from the 
misunderstanding of
"agency" and assigning it exclusively to humans. In this case they 
were comparing the agency of  bacteria that change their "behavior" 
based on the introduction of antibiotics. How does this fit into your views.

[Arlo]
While I doubt it fits Ham's views, I'd say that this in accord with 
the MOQ. "Agency", quite simply, could be seen as the ability to 
respond to experience. Obviously, context provides some manner of 
"structuration", as the responding pattern is always limited by a 
contextual repertoire of possibility. Bacteria lack the "agency" to 
build airplanes because their biological structure does not support 
social patterns, and hence they ipso facto lack the possibility to 
respond to experience "intellectually". Humans, of course, have a 
very diverse and deep "response repertoire" to draw from, while 
inorganic patterns have the least complex and varied. This follows 
the MOQ trajectory precisely, in that evolutionary morality serves to 
increase the repertoire of possibility the patterns in question have 
with which to respond to experience (DQ).