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Thread ID: 72662	2006-09-21 10:05:00	What's the meaning of life?	Renmoo (66)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
486347	2006-11-04 10:41:00	Most mutations are either neutral if they don't lie on coding DNA or make no change to the proteins produced or are damaging if they occur in the middle of an essential gene. Beneficial genes are most often in the form of changes in continuous variables. If we were to live in a world of low flying birds with sharp feathers, shorter people would be more likely to survive than taller ones.... By the way, I don't have a problem with natural selection being a natural process. But it isn't evolution, as the genetic information is already present in the species and didn't develop as a consequence of some environmental pressure.	pico (4752)
486348	2006-11-04 11:32:00	From Pico: "Unless you are implying that the creator must exist in this space-time universe which is not what I'm saying." Yes you are right, the creator is in another dimension altogether, the vast expanses of your imagination and all the other ...... who believe in it.	zqwerty (97)
486349	2006-11-04 11:36:00	By the way, I don't have a problem with natural selection being a natural process. But it isn't evolution, as the genetic information is already present in the species and didn't develop as a consequence of some environmental pressure. Mutations can be observed. We can quite easily form genetic trees and map out similarities and differences where a gene has changed at a single point, a section has been inverted or something has been deleted. We can artificially increase the rate of mutation in the lab using mutagenic chemicals. We can observe that a branch on a grape vine grows seedless grapes and artificially clone that 'sport' to produce entire plants carrying the mutation. This is an example of a mutation that would be eliminated by natural selection but can be spread by artificial selection. Mutations don't develop as a consequence of environmental pressure. They constantly form in a random and unpredictable way, although the rate of mutation can be increased by environmental factors (e.g. exposure to carcinogens). Natural selection then carves away the less successful strains or promotes the successful ones, effectively creating complexity from random variation. Mutations are random and add variation. Selection is non-random (environmentally determined) and reduces variation. Together they are capable of forming immensely complex structures. Interestingly though, they hold one serious flaw - they behave like a greedy algorithm. This means that though a good solution is often reached, it is frequently much less efficient than what could be optimally designed from a blank slate.	TGoddard (7263)
486350	2006-11-04 16:20:00	A quick clarification since the editing period is up: "Created" here is used to imply that it came into existence - not that any conscious agent or intent was in any way involved.Whereas in actual fact creation means that a conscious agent and intent was involved.	Greg (193)
486351	2006-11-04 19:33:00	Whereas in actual fact creation means that a conscious agent and intent was involved.Surely TGoddard is the most qualified to say exactly what TGoddard meant by any particular word in any particular context? However, we are all free to take what was said and read into it any thing we wish. :)	personthingy (1670)
486352	2006-11-04 19:39:00	145 posts,anybody any the wiser? I think not,you are stuck with your preconcieved..................	Cicero (40)
486353	2006-11-04 20:01:00	145 posts,anybody any the wiser? I think not,you are stuck with your preconcieved..................This is a FUN thread. If there is a meaning of life, (apart from rice pudding) chances are that there is nothing we can do about it! Although it seems to digress to how we got here, in the end, what does it matter? We are here... that matters! If i were to be in Auckland in 3 days, would it matter how i got there? I could fly or hitchhike.. if i hitched i'd probably be shattered again, ( i was last time) but apart from that, would it matter? i'd be there, that would be the key thing, and i wouldn't be able to change how i got there after the fact... As for the meaning.. which in all seriousness i see as totally personal, so what? It's fun seeing people debate how their meaning is right and other peoples meanings are wrong. How can this be anything other than a fun thread? The whole concept of a generic meaning implies that we all all identical being, which thankfully, we are not!!!! I just hope that the race who got rid of the useless quarter of their population by sending the dregs here are doing fine without us! :p	personthingy (1670)
486354	2006-11-04 21:03:00	145 posts,anybody any the wiser? I think not,you are stuck with your preconcieved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Au contraire! I am deeply enriched by what has been posted here . . . it has helped to increase my faith in devine creation . Look at it this way: There are SO many alternate avenues of thought here, that it supplies upbuilding knowledge that this (my faith) is indeed a spirited (pun, not intended!) quest . By the sheer number of these alternate targets comes the logical extension of thought that SOMETHING/SOMEONE has to be right . One does not block the truth with untruth if there's no truth in the first place . My primary concept of LOOKING for some sort of diety is validated; after all, there are some really deep thoughts here that truly mystify the utter simplicity of the scriptural account of creation . BAM!~ ~ God did it and that's sufficient . The Big Bang as it is called probably was devine creation's outworking . I don't allow the thought that it was an accident or a haphazard happenstance that got us to the point in which we find ourselves . The devil messed it up for people . There is a Catch-22 though . If what I espouse from scriptural learning is correct and there is a cutting off in time for people to allow then to get it all together and actually get to know who they are, where they are going and from where they originated, then that leaves a very large collective (and terminal) gasp for those who are wrong . Those who believe in primordial ooze crawling onto a rock and growing intellectually, sexually reproducing, generating a conscience, finding morality, seeking diefication of something . . . etc . . . etc . . . . have the worst of all things to consider: If they are wrong then they miss the final reward . What a shame to miss out on all the promises of the creator who promised many more splendid conditions and lifestyle than we/they have had in this system of things . No future resident will say: "I am sick" . If I am wrong in my faith, then I have lost nothing . I have not been debauched nor have I debauched . I have not contaminated myself with drugs, tobacco and excess drinking . I have not contracted STD's nor have I spread them around . I have not defied the secular authorities where their conditions do not try to overwrite my creator's rules . I have not coveted nor stolen nor raped . I have paid my legally required taxes . I guess I missed a lot of fun . . . huh?	SurferJoe46 (51)
486355	2006-11-04 21:41:00	People who believe in the scriptures etc are inclined to look for confirmation in anything that confirms their belief,so perhaps some will find something of value,even enrichment,but I think for the most part,they will be alone .	Cicero (40)
486356	2006-11-04 21:48:00	I have not been debauched nor have I debauched. I have not contaminated myself with drugs, tobacco and excess drinking. I have not contracted STD's nor have I spread them around. I have not defied the secular authorities where their conditions do not try to overwrite my creator's rules. I have not coveted nor stolen nor raped. I have paid my legally required taxes. O goody a quiz! How evil are you? i scored 8 out of 10. Am i bad? Can i rewrite the quiz and put it on myspace? :p	personthingy (1670)
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