"Rather than posit two entities, Creation and its Creator, many thinkers prefer lately to posit the existence of either a vastly large or an infinite number of universes with an array of different physical laws. In this Multiple Universes theory, we just happened to be lucky enough to live in a universe with the physics equivalent of Good Schools."
For me, the strange evolution of an always-changing universe through various stages of matter, to planets and stars, to life, to brains and consciousness, and then to self-awareness seems to hint that that there is some logic to the unfolding of history and thus points toward a creator. But, I suppose that if there are an infinite amount of universes then this could just appear to be the case, as would just happen to live in a statically good neighborhood in a vast infinity of lifeless bad neighborhoods. But, you're still left with the issue of why anything at all exists, and the question of how physical matter transmutates into mind.
Maybe. The theological idea is that the creator (God) is not one thing that exists among other things, but is existence itself. God is pure being and the universe, which is conditioned being, comes from this pure being. We know that existence exists, so we can then assume that this "existence itself" somehow transcends nothingness. (I'm probably butchering the idea as I am not a theologian).
As to why the creator would create the universe, one idea I like is that God must create false limitations on his being in order to fully know himself - thus our universe.
I don't think atheists would disagree. The distinction, IMO, is whether or not existence itself has intelligence, will, and purpose; like a human being (in god's image) but more powerful and smarter.
Your change in direction is well deserved. Have fun and keep up the good work. You will contribute to a better society regardless of the direction(s) you choose. Thomas Sowell is in his 90's and still graces us with his wisdom from time to time. Not a bad model.
"The trouble with mirror cells is that they could probably evade most of the barriers that keep ordinary organisms in check. To fight off pathogens, for example, our bodies must first detect them with molecular sensors.
Those sensors can only latch onto left-handed proteins or right-handed DNA and RNA. A mirror cell that infected lab workers might spread through their bodies without triggering any resistance from their immune systems."
granted they have had more time to think about this than I have, but I don't think this is correct. I could be missing something, but the sensors of the immune system, antibodies, T-cell receptors , they grab onto things based on things like size and shape and where charges are and where hydrogens stick out and so forth. I'm pretty sure they can even stick to things that are neither protein nor DNA as long as those requirements are met.
Would such an organism evade the immune system? Initially I would think, just as any novel organism with novel antigens would, but the immune system can make a staggering number of different antibodies. It only spins up ones that have stuck to things before, but I'm pretty sure it could potentially train against proteins made from mirror amino acids.
The mirror organisms would have more of a problem properly invading because it wouldn't have any way to latch on to any receptors on human or animal cells. For example COVID spike protein would bind ACE2 receptors to enter a cell. If the immune system can't bind to mirror spike protein, mirror spike protein definitely can't bind to regular ACE2 receptor.
That isn't even taking account of the fact that such experimental organisms wouldn't have time to evolve such a spike protein.
Seems to me these mirror organisms would just flounder about with no special abilities and get taken out by the non specific immunity functions of the animals.
But, like I said, they've had more time to research and think this through. I could be missing a lot. Doesn't mean we should try making these critters.
Your theory seems correct. Possibly following the same analysis, science fiction authors dealing with the possibility of mirror image life on other worlds simply posit that Earth life forms would starve because they would be unable to digest mirror image food.
I have a pretty sci fi related idea which is if we could alter peoples DNA and transfer RNA simultaneously such that the code was different, the newly created people would be immune to viruses.
nope- we don't eat organisms for their DNA. We eat for carbs, fat and protein. In my system all the proteins would be the same. All you'd thwart is current viridae hijacking your transcription/translation abilities, because all their code are wrong
Don't worry Steve, I'm sure the Chinese scientists will follow all of the safety protocols. By the way, I have been reading you since the isteeve days. Congratulations for freeing yourself from the Unz.com sewer.
Unz is the most free of free markets. You don’t have to subscribe, you don’t have to agree with everything or anything, you can come and go as you please. Mr. Unz gave Steve a home for many years. There is a multitude that find Steve’s work as awful and objectionable as you find that of other authors.
I thought the Ask a Mexican guy was execrable, but I admire Ron Unz for giving him a place in the public square.
The world is a rough place, best to know what’s going on in it.
It was better before Anglin was invited. I really enjoyed Steve's commentariat. The comments where the best part of the ride, usually inciteful with many links to bolster their arguments, Think of Res for example. Alas many of those commenters are no longer there; due to death or disinterest. I actually like Ron's lengthy screeds, along with the Derb ( who seems to left as well ). I'm just glad that Steve has found a way of not having to shaking the proverbial tin cup every quarter, he's earned his rightful place in respectable company. By, stop choking on Reg Caesers' cock.
I get that, but cells already transcribe in the forward direction (RNA transcribed to DNA). There already is (are) forward transcriptase, we just don't call them that. It's also unrelated to the chirality of the ribose
Other risky lefty projects include releasing loads of reflective material into the atmosphere to supposedly combat global warming and blasting out message into space so aliens can find us. Both are totally crazy with massive potential downside.
Supposedly our DNA is right-handed because cosmic particles that cause mutations have a left-handed spin. This spin causes them to interact more with right-handed molecules, which would accelerate evolution in right-handed DNA, giving organisms with it a selective advantage.
Could be. But why is there a left-handed chiral bias in the universe? Is God a right-handed pitcher?
That aside, this "vibe shift" or preference cascade has been difficult for me emotionally, kind of like when my dysfunctional father died.
A lot of stuff I've choked down over the years is coming back to trouble me. Maybe it's how middle-aged dissident Eastern Europeans felt when Communism collapsed. After all that time, finally it's over, but the damage has been done.
Americans look askance at wallowing in self-pity, and I tend to support this attitude, but millions of us have been harmed by left progressivism. The urban ethnic cleansing, the broken families, the discrimination in academia and government institutions, the racially-targeted street crime, the endless cultural vilification and abuse -- all these fell mainly on innocent people.
How are we going to begin to be honest about this stuff as a society, especially when so many participated in these wrongs? Will there be any justice in this world?
It seems like a risky project.
Although they’d have to be literally creating life from scratch, which no one’s ever done before. Still…
They can work on it in Wuhan. It'll be fine.
Just keep out anyone from Transsexual Transylvania.
"Rather than posit two entities, Creation and its Creator, many thinkers prefer lately to posit the existence of either a vastly large or an infinite number of universes with an array of different physical laws. In this Multiple Universes theory, we just happened to be lucky enough to live in a universe with the physics equivalent of Good Schools."
For me, the strange evolution of an always-changing universe through various stages of matter, to planets and stars, to life, to brains and consciousness, and then to self-awareness seems to hint that that there is some logic to the unfolding of history and thus points toward a creator. But, I suppose that if there are an infinite amount of universes then this could just appear to be the case, as would just happen to live in a statically good neighborhood in a vast infinity of lifeless bad neighborhoods. But, you're still left with the issue of why anything at all exists, and the question of how physical matter transmutates into mind.
"you're still left with the issue of why anything at all exists"
Don't you have the same question in the presence of a creator? With a creator you've merely added one more step between us and nothingness.
Maybe. The theological idea is that the creator (God) is not one thing that exists among other things, but is existence itself. God is pure being and the universe, which is conditioned being, comes from this pure being. We know that existence exists, so we can then assume that this "existence itself" somehow transcends nothingness. (I'm probably butchering the idea as I am not a theologian).
As to why the creator would create the universe, one idea I like is that God must create false limitations on his being in order to fully know himself - thus our universe.
I don't think atheists would disagree. The distinction, IMO, is whether or not existence itself has intelligence, will, and purpose; like a human being (in god's image) but more powerful and smarter.
Steve,
Your change in direction is well deserved. Have fun and keep up the good work. You will contribute to a better society regardless of the direction(s) you choose. Thomas Sowell is in his 90's and still graces us with his wisdom from time to time. Not a bad model.
Ken
"The trouble with mirror cells is that they could probably evade most of the barriers that keep ordinary organisms in check. To fight off pathogens, for example, our bodies must first detect them with molecular sensors.
Those sensors can only latch onto left-handed proteins or right-handed DNA and RNA. A mirror cell that infected lab workers might spread through their bodies without triggering any resistance from their immune systems."
granted they have had more time to think about this than I have, but I don't think this is correct. I could be missing something, but the sensors of the immune system, antibodies, T-cell receptors , they grab onto things based on things like size and shape and where charges are and where hydrogens stick out and so forth. I'm pretty sure they can even stick to things that are neither protein nor DNA as long as those requirements are met.
Would such an organism evade the immune system? Initially I would think, just as any novel organism with novel antigens would, but the immune system can make a staggering number of different antibodies. It only spins up ones that have stuck to things before, but I'm pretty sure it could potentially train against proteins made from mirror amino acids.
The mirror organisms would have more of a problem properly invading because it wouldn't have any way to latch on to any receptors on human or animal cells. For example COVID spike protein would bind ACE2 receptors to enter a cell. If the immune system can't bind to mirror spike protein, mirror spike protein definitely can't bind to regular ACE2 receptor.
That isn't even taking account of the fact that such experimental organisms wouldn't have time to evolve such a spike protein.
Seems to me these mirror organisms would just flounder about with no special abilities and get taken out by the non specific immunity functions of the animals.
But, like I said, they've had more time to research and think this through. I could be missing a lot. Doesn't mean we should try making these critters.
Why ask for trouble?
Your theory seems correct. Possibly following the same analysis, science fiction authors dealing with the possibility of mirror image life on other worlds simply posit that Earth life forms would starve because they would be unable to digest mirror image food.
I have a pretty sci fi related idea which is if we could alter peoples DNA and transfer RNA simultaneously such that the code was different, the newly created people would be immune to viruses.
...and unable to digest right-twist DNA life forms.
nope- we don't eat organisms for their DNA. We eat for carbs, fat and protein. In my system all the proteins would be the same. All you'd thwart is current viridae hijacking your transcription/translation abilities, because all their code are wrong
Don't worry Steve, I'm sure the Chinese scientists will follow all of the safety protocols. By the way, I have been reading you since the isteeve days. Congratulations for freeing yourself from the Unz.com sewer.
Unz is the most free of free markets. You don’t have to subscribe, you don’t have to agree with everything or anything, you can come and go as you please. Mr. Unz gave Steve a home for many years. There is a multitude that find Steve’s work as awful and objectionable as you find that of other authors.
I thought the Ask a Mexican guy was execrable, but I admire Ron Unz for giving him a place in the public square.
The world is a rough place, best to know what’s going on in it.
It was better before Anglin was invited. I really enjoyed Steve's commentariat. The comments where the best part of the ride, usually inciteful with many links to bolster their arguments, Think of Res for example. Alas many of those commenters are no longer there; due to death or disinterest. I actually like Ron's lengthy screeds, along with the Derb ( who seems to left as well ). I'm just glad that Steve has found a way of not having to shaking the proverbial tin cup every quarter, he's earned his rightful place in respectable company. By, stop choking on Reg Caesers' cock.
Steve - you’ve always done a great job writing about things that other people aren’t writing about because of their ignorance, shame, or indifference.
Keep it up!
Have we crested the peak? Are we cruising downhill like a freewheeling Saab from the old days?
Are Harry Chaplin and Jim Croce still alive?
Enjoy your break.
Didn't Star Trek prove an anti-matter universe fifty years ago? What of Lazerus?
All we need to do is invent forward transcriptase.
A joke, right? I don't quite get it...
It's a pun on reverse transcriptase.
I get that, but cells already transcribe in the forward direction (RNA transcribed to DNA). There already is (are) forward transcriptase, we just don't call them that. It's also unrelated to the chirality of the ribose
> cells already transcribe in the forward direction (RNA transcribed to DNA).
You mean “forward direction = DNA transcribed to RNA,” but point taken.
right
Other risky lefty projects include releasing loads of reflective material into the atmosphere to supposedly combat global warming and blasting out message into space so aliens can find us. Both are totally crazy with massive potential downside.
You're describing a preemptive attack on an imagined future threat. What could possibly go wrong!
Supposedly our DNA is right-handed because cosmic particles that cause mutations have a left-handed spin. This spin causes them to interact more with right-handed molecules, which would accelerate evolution in right-handed DNA, giving organisms with it a selective advantage.
Could be. But why is there a left-handed chiral bias in the universe? Is God a right-handed pitcher?
That aside, this "vibe shift" or preference cascade has been difficult for me emotionally, kind of like when my dysfunctional father died.
A lot of stuff I've choked down over the years is coming back to trouble me. Maybe it's how middle-aged dissident Eastern Europeans felt when Communism collapsed. After all that time, finally it's over, but the damage has been done.
Americans look askance at wallowing in self-pity, and I tend to support this attitude, but millions of us have been harmed by left progressivism. The urban ethnic cleansing, the broken families, the discrimination in academia and government institutions, the racially-targeted street crime, the endless cultural vilification and abuse -- all these fell mainly on innocent people.
How are we going to begin to be honest about this stuff as a society, especially when so many participated in these wrongs? Will there be any justice in this world?