[MD] Dawkins quotes RMP on religion.

[pholden at davtv.com]

Quoting craigerb at comcast.net:

> --===============1542928769==
> 
> [Platt]
> > Cyrstals are formed by self-replicating inorganic patterns, but I don't know of
> anyone
> > who claims we evolved from crystals.
> 
> Then see Cairns-Smith in "Seven Clues to the Origin of Life".  Richard Dawkins
> in
> "The  Blind Watchmaker" summarizes:  clay-crystal replicators combine with acids
> to form replicating RNA.
> What is the mystery?
> a) minerals can replicate
> b) acids (RNA or DNA) can replicate
> c) life is carbon-based.   

The mystery is that the beginning of life is still a mystery. There are many
theories, as Wiki explains under "Life." 

> "What the Dynamic force had to invent in order to move up the molecular level 
> and stay there was a carbon molecule that would preserve its limited Dynamic 
> freedom from inorganic laws and at the same time resist deterioration back to 
> simple compounds of carbon again. A study of nature shows the Dynamic force was 
> not able to do this but got around the problem by inventing two molecules: a 
> static molecule able to resist abrasion, heat, chemical attack and the like; and
> 
> a Dynamic one, able to preserve the subatomic indeterminacy at a molecular level
> 
> and “try everything” in the ways of chemical combination.
> The static molecule, an enormous, chemically “dead,” plasticlike molecule called
> 
> protein, surrounds the Dynamic one and prevents attack by forces of light, heat 
> and other chemicals that would prey on its sensitivity and destroy it. The 
> Dynamic one, called DNA, reciprocates by telling the static one what to do, 
> replacing the static one when it wears out, replacing itself even when it hasn’t
> 
> worn out, and changing its own nature to overcome adverse conditions. These two 
> kinds of molecules, working together, are all there is in some viruses, which 
> are the simplest forms of life.
> This division of all biological evolutionary patterns into a Dynamic function 
> and a static function continues on up through higher levels of evolution. The 
> formation of semipermeable cell walls to let food in and keep poisons out is a 
> static latch. So are bones, shells, hide, fur, burrows, clothes, houses, 
> villages, castles, rituals, symbols, laws and libraries. All of these prevent 
> evolutionary degeneration."
> (Lila, p. 169)

As I've said many times, I like Pirsig's explanation of the beginning of life.
It beats "oops" IMO. It also harmonizes with the rest of his metaphysics.

Platt 


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