Strong emergence principle emerges in biology

_{Denyse O'Leary

April 29, 2022

Biology, Intelligent Design}

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Things happen that can’t be explained without design:

Complex, multigenic biological traits are shaped by the emergent interaction of proteins being the main functional units at the molecular scale. Based on a phenomenological approach, algorithms for quantifying two different aspects of emergence were introduced (Wegner and Hao in Progr Biophys Mol Biol 161:54-61, 2021) describing: (i) pairwise reciprocal interactions of proteins mutually modifying their contribution to a complex trait (denoted as weak emergence), and (ii) formation of a new, complex trait by a set of n ‘constitutive’ proteins at concentrations exceeding individual threshold values (strong emergence). The latter algorithm is modified here to take account of protein redundancy with respect to a complex trait (‘full redundancy’). Irreducibility is considered a necessary and sufficient criterion for strong biological emergence; if one constitutive protein is missing, or its concentration drops below the threshold the trait is lost. A definition based on ‘unpredictability’ is dismissed, because this criterion is irrelevant for the evolution of a complex trait, and apparent unpredictability may rather reflect our basic deficits in understanding unless we can provide an unequivocal proof for it. The phenomenological approach advocated here allows to identify hidden rules according to which strongly emergent traits may be organized. This is of high value for understanding the evolution of complex traits which seems to require the saltational advent of all constitutive proteins ‘in one turn’ to arrive at a functional trait providing for an improved fitness of the organism. Rather than being a purely random process, it may be guided by fundamental structural principles.
Hao Z, Liu J, Wu B, Yu M, Wegner LH. Strong Emergence in Biological Systems: Is It Open to Mathematical Reasoning? Acta Biotheor. 2021 Dec;69(4):841-856. doi: 10.1007/s10441-021-09423-1. Epub 2021 Aug 31. PMID: 34463940.

Not that they put it that way.

The paper is open access.

Comments

FH, natural selection would be a dynamic stochastic process with a strong stochastic element, as even Darwin noted. As I have pointed out it does not account for information, just the culling out of "less favoured" "races" -- we need to find a credible source of FSCO/I adequate to deal with the reality of deeply isolated islands of function. KFkairosfocus_{May 1, 2022
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Fred Hickson:
I’m pleased to see KF grasps that selection is a non-random process that produces amazing variation, whether the designer is human or the niche environment.
Your ignorance with respect to natural selection is also not an argument. Natural selection is nonrandom in a trivial sense in that not all variants have the same chance of being eliminated (Mayr). It does not produce amazing variation. It does not design. It is nothing more than contingent serendipity. Fred Hickson is an uneducated troll.ET_{May 1, 2022
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Fred Hickson:
Human arms do not stretch when subjected to extreme force.
Your ignorance is not an argument. Human arms do stretch, especially when hanging from them. Muscles are pliable. And in the case of shoulder dislocations from hanging, even more so.ET_{May 1, 2022
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The farce that has ensued to support a nonsensical criticism of the most studied artifact in the history of mankind is ironical. One that was described as the anatomically correct image of a crucified man. With the whole world out there this is the best they can do. What better proof of anything can one get? As one with great insight once said.
Stupid is as stupid does
jerry_{May 1, 2022
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FH, we are not dealing with extreme force but with the possibility of dislocation. KFkairosfocus_{May 1, 2022
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FH, the selection isolates the variation and preserves it it does not cause variation. Normally, there are limits, especially where such would cause loss of viability in the wild. In some cases I think there has been explicit gene engineering. KF PS, see https://www.thesprucepets.com/glow-in-the-dark-fish-1378527kairosfocus_{May 1, 2022
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Human arms do not stretch when subjected to extreme force. They tear off.Fred Hickson_{May 1, 2022
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Guppies are fancy by design. I'm pleased to see KF grasps that selection is a non-random process that produces amazing variation, whether the designer is human or the niche environment. Ethics of selective breeding taken to extremes is questionable.Fred Hickson_{May 1, 2022
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JH, if they don't, they should. Along with other things, but then Cricketers traditionally wore little protection. I think the medical authorities gradually prevailed. KFkairosfocus_{April 30, 2022
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ET: Hockey players wear a protective cup. Their jewels are well protected.
You obviously have not played much hockey. :)JHolo_{April 30, 2022
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Hockey players wear a protective cup. Their jewels are well protected.ET_{April 30, 2022
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Average pro soccer kick is 112 km/hr. Average pro hockey slap shot is 160 km/hr. And a hockey puck is 170 grams of frozen vulcanized rubber. And when players attempt to block a shot, which they do routinely, they use a hand to protect their face, not their crotch.JHolo_{April 30, 2022
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ET, aka indirect free kick time. Aka, ouch. For cricket, there is the groin cup for batsmen [along with shin and knee pads and nowadays a helmet], as in a hard ball at 90+ mph. KF PS, How fast is that ball moving https://yoursoccerhome.com/how-fast-is-a-soccer-ball-kicked/ PPS. Tabulated: Ronny Heberson: 211 km/h Arjen Robben: 190 km/h Steven Reid: 189 km/h Ronald Koeman: 188 km/h David Hirst: 183 km/h David Beckham: 158 km/h That sounds like, register with the police territory.kairosfocus_{April 30, 2022
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Where fancy guppies now are, by design https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=fancy+guppies&fir=AMLN5z--h2909M%252CL0vj2Mc5XVJX-M%252C_%253BqKwGafsvNM1gJM%252CLsaYuuE4pnjwPM%252C_%253Ba3yQejh4AtjApM%252CL0vj2Mc5XVJX-M%252C_%253BfmvjrWjERZmxmM%252CFPJrfGRte7NhUM%252C_%253BpA4kpINqKvwoPM%252C4wb3zfwQRC2t9M%252C_%253B1AmLsZwvpkpk3M%252CiiXqkFXoh_CzrM%252C_%253BkRQkYe2yDItVTM%252CPr8YJsxPaN-DCM%252C_%253Bq63DVjU1eKwkYM%252CsUmytxuiamhzNM%252C_%253BRQk7b7f6lsxeUM%252CL0vj2Mc5XVJX-M%252C_%253B2pqh5eG0XZjGUM%252CWZ9cTsMZh8BACM%252C_%253BO7oC3mfmX5EAEM%252CVbK0YZ3PfzYCKM%252C_%253BFnkW6Od3QqykSM%252CmP_g_0vLhWq3oM%252C_%253BQIjiEILNJ4IG1M%252CiiXqkFXoh_CzrM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kRFM3WuR9ODNkk77oBaFa_vztZYbQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwip7sPMk733AhVuRN8KHaV1A4YQjJkEegQIAhAC&biw=1536&bih=708&dpr=1.25kairosfocus_{April 30, 2022
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Yes, playing soccer often required the covering of my groin with my hands.ET_{April 30, 2022
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ET: I am 6? tall with an arm span of 73.5 inches. My hands cover my groin when I am lying on my back.
Did you just figure this out or is this knowledge based on frequent repetition? :)JHolo_{April 30, 2022
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Talk about fools rushing in. The link provided by SA refers to dating the age of the Shroud linen - it is absolutely mute on the images on the linen- yet smart-alecs jump in to say their hands don’t cover their groin while lying on their back, hint, hint!! WAXS - pronounced WAX-S - essentially measures the distance (the d-space) between successive parallel planes of atoms; it also indicates the orientation of the planes. It measures the scattered X-rays at angles big enough to define lengths. Using the technique, the authors established the age of the Shroud linen as being analogous with another linen sample of undoubted age; that is, coeval. As the technique used is non-destructive of the two samples, the experiment can readily be reproduced in hundreds of laboratories around the world. The conclusions are not answered by daft comparisons of arm-lengths. ‘Foolish’ is the most temperate thing one can say of the remarks of Hickson and Seversky on the issue.Belfast_{April 30, 2022
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The Lamarck reference was a joke.
One century of studies on mutations has not provided a single verified example of a gene mutation that led to an adaptive morphological change in metazoans. On the contrary, examples are described of evolutionary changes having suddenly occurred in whole populations without changes in allele frequencies (numerous cases of transgenerational predator-induced defenses in invertebrates, sympatric speciation in sibling species involving no changes in allele frequencies, evolutionary reversions, atavisms, and experimental induction of reversion of ancestral traits in as little as 5 generations in Drosophila). Female guppies of the species Poecilia reticulata, prefer to mate with males with larger orange spots. Selection experiments for male attractiveness and female preferences with P. reticulata for three generations, also failed to show results that would be expected according to the previous hypotheses (Hall et al., 2004). There is evidence that, contrary to the previous belief, the preference for males with large orange spots is not related to any higher fitness of these males, but it is related to a general sensory preference of females of this species for orange colored objects, including food (Rodd et al., 2002) When female guppies of the species Poecilia reticulata visually detect the presence of their cichlid predator, Cichlasoma biocellatum in the environment, they reverse to the ancestral preference for duller instead of bright colored males (Gong and Gibson, 1996) Animals lose previous behaviors that are no longer adaptive to the new habitat, but they “remember” the circuits for the lost behaviors. Species that happen to return to ancestral or quasi-ancestral habitats might activate the conserved ancestral circuit and reverse to the lost ancestral innate behavior Female preferences are innate traits, but they can be modified by experience. Exposure of female fish of the green swordtail to predation, for instance, makes them to switch mate preference to swordless fish from the original state of long sword preference (Johnson and Basolo, 2003). Early life experiences in guppies modify female mate preference to orange male coloration From a neo-Darwinian standpoint, that is, from the view that mate preferences are determined by genes, such sudden changes are inexplicable. But they are quite understandable from the epigenetic view that mate preferences are function of neural circuits, which display a relatively high plasticity at both the developmental and evolutionary levels. There is no evidence that the plasticity and evolution of the mate recognition system in animals is related or correlated with changes in genes, allele frequencies, or other genetic mechanisms. In response to the presence of its predators, the freshwater snail, Helisoma trivolvis, simultaneously changes its behavior (preference for a particular habitat and the timing of the onset of the reproductive behavior) and morphology (the form of the shell) (Hoverman et al., 2005) The neotropical tadpole, Rana palmipes, in response to the presence of its predator water bug, or even of predator cues alone, changes its behavior by strongly reducing its activity, darkening its body color and increasing the size of muscle and tail (McIntyre et al., 2004) Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris, 1776) is a pea aphid that in the presence of predators emits a volatile alarm pheromone, which, when perceived in the brain of females, induces the latter not only to shift to walking behavior and drop off the plants but also to increase the proportion of winged morphs in the offspring (Dixon and Agarwala, 1999; Kunert and Weiser, 2003). Mallorcan midwife toad, A. muletensis, which in response to the presence of its viperine predator, and even upon detecting a chemical released by the predator, induces rapid changes in its behavior and later changes in morphology, which make the toad less vulnerable to the snake. etc. PS: Maybe you should check out scientists other than Dawkins :)))Lieutenant Commander Data_{April 30, 2022
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were you impressed by the shroud in the flesh, so to speak?
No. It was like a large somewhat dirty piece of cloth. We were allowed to get within 15 feet of it. But one cannot say they are unimpressed by the research on it It’s some of the most incredible scientific findings in the history of mankind. All of us were well read on what was current when we went to Turin. It occasionally arises as a topic here. But usually not as a focus of attention. There is another amazing artifact - the painting of Guadalupe.jerry_{April 30, 2022
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ET. The Lamarck reference was a joke. He was wrong with his theory but he was a pioneering biologist of his time and much about him is to be admired.Fred Hickson_{April 30, 2022
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Jerry, were you impressed by the shroud in the flesh, so to speak? I remember being distinctly unimpressed by the Mona Lisa after all the queuing do get to see it.Fred Hickson_{April 30, 2022
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It's a while but my memory of Turin is a town dominated by the automotive industry.Fred Hickson_{April 30, 2022
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The Shroud has been the most studied artifact in history. I’m glad we have local experts to expand on this. I look forward to your appearance at the next congress on the research of the Shroud. https://shroud.com/ Aside: my wife and I and another couple saw the Shroud when it was on display. The funny part of the story was driving around in our rental car trying to find it. After entering Turin (coming from Monaco) we were wandering around and getting lost. Nobody spoke English and we spoke no Italian. Finally my wife was inspired and said Domo to everyone we saw and they then pointed in the direction of the Cathedral. After 5-6 of these, we found the Domo.jerry_{April 30, 2022
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I am 6' tall with an arm span of 73.5 inches. My hands cover my groin when I am lying on my back.ET_{April 30, 2022
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Fred Hickson:
Do you think I can get longer arms that way? Only a fool wouldn't think it could.
Sounds a bit Lamarckian!
So you are a fool! There wasn't any passing on of the trait. Nice own goal, fool
ET_{April 30, 2022
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Bob, thanks for chiming in. I'm not sure if I'm the target of some of your wry humor.Fred Hickson_{April 30, 2022
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Not Lamackian, Fred. Intelligently designed.Bob O'H_{April 30, 2022
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Not me. Do you think I can get longer arms that way? Sounds a bit Lamarckian!Fred Hickson_{April 30, 2022
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FH & Seversky, did you try posing your arms after being nailed through the wrists and suspended from your arms for several hours? KFkairosfocus_{April 30, 2022
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I know it is impolite to question God's purpose. But maybe a little less uncertainty would be more convincing of what it is the artifact is intended to show. I mean if you have faith, what does the shroud add? If you don't, there's plenty to question about how old it it, how the image got on the cloth, why isn't it strips as mentioned in the New Testament.Fred Hickson_{April 29, 2022
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