Just saw this recent video by 'Stated Clearly'. It touches upon some of the most recent discoveries in evolution. What I found most interesting about it is its simple demonstration of the discrete transformation of a group of organisms to a superorganism with completely new properties and functions.

Makes me wonder if we evolved all of these complex functionalities, including our minds, so that a colony of Archaea and other sub-cellular organisms can survive. This would make us, in a sense, the hive minds of these microorganisms! So when we feel hungry, tired, fear, etc, it is ultimately our microscopic overlords manipulating us for selfish reasons? Eerie!

Anyway, it seems eminently reasonable to me that the apparent distinctions between the characteristics of the 'whole' and the 'unit' may not be as mutually exclusive as they play out, but are an elaborate trick geared toward a single purpose, survival. But who is in the driver's seat?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUfNEHl44hc

This one pass my power

frank317:
This one pass my power

Haha...you can still enjoy the beautiful simplicity of the video.

Great video

Neither, as neither has freewill

Or maybe it's the bacteria, as plaetton argues

https://www.nairaland.com/1859229/ye-gods-all-all-100#25505602

wiegraf:
Great video

Neither, as neither has freewill

Or maybe it's the bacteria, as plaetton argues

https://www.nairaland.com/1859229/ye-gods-all-all-100#25505602

That was a rich thread, although, it quickly degenerated into a contest of 'how many insults can we slip into complementary arguments' between plaetton and joshthefirst. Thanks for sharing, still.
Talking about arguments, I've seen many materials link thoughts to immaterial viruses. After all, they compete for space in our minds. As a result, they display all the attendant properties of viruses, they war with, and consume each other, form complex ecosystems with other thoughts (when we develop theories), get reinforced (or evolve) when they are nurtured (by our contemplations and/or arguments with people holding opposing thoughts); and most strikingly, they even try to spread by infecting other minds (when we develop the urge to share our thoughts).

In light of plaetton's exposition on the role of these microbes in manipulating us, I wonder if direct link(s) could be drawn between our thoughts, behavior and the survival of the microorganisms that we are composed of? For example, how do our conversations and arguments on Nairaland promote the survival of these organisms?

It's a rather poor explanation. Cooperation is the quality of the supposed evolutionary transitions stated in the video not their cause. At each level of transition viriods, cellular components and cell colonies are cooperating. The question remains how such elements arose and how were they harmonized into a cooperating whole. It's obvious that life at every level involves cooperation. What is responsible for it ?

UyiIredia:
It's a rather poor explanation. Cooperation is the quality of the supposed evolutionary transitions stated in the video not their cause.

That's true, but as the subject is on evolution, isn't survival implied as the cause? The next question then is, why are living things hellbent on survival though? This one is a keeper!

At each level of transition viriods, cellular components and cell colonies are cooperating. The question remains how such elements arose and how were they harmonized into a cooperating whole. It's obvious that life at every level involves cooperation. What is responsible for it

The question remains!

AgentOfAllah:

That was a rich thread, although, it quickly degenerated into a contest of 'how many insults can we slip into complementary arguments' between plaetton and joshthefirst...

lol