Do you agree that there is no scientific proof that intelligence is not a universal quality of which intelligent thoughts, word and deeds are particular instances?

From Alun's OP

C1-3) If a mutation does not help an organism reproduce, there will not be any pressure for that change in genetic information to promulgate.
* This is microevolution by natural selection. We see it all the time in antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Aren't some mutations linked with other,more reproduction -significant mutations? I mean, some of the traits we see in various creatures may not help the individual to live to be someone's ancestor because that trait is either redundant or is positively bad for the possible ancestor but because it is linked to and trumped by the 'good' trait, it survives.

Alun replied to Belinda

I intended to refer to the overall effect of a single process of mutation--rather than a single changed gene, which seems to be how you read it.

My mistake. I note your reply to Meleagar, about this being a philosophy forum, not a science form.I will try to remember your phrase 'conceptually convincing'.

However, in our capacity as philosophers, is the motivations of the particular philosopher relevant or not?

What I mean is that , for instance, we may say of Plato that he was an aristocrat and surmise that this fact underlies his philosopher kings political theory. So in the case of alternatives to natural evolutionary processes we may surmise that their protagonists have an ideological agenda.

In support of the scientific approaches to explanations of speciation we can safely say that scientists actively and objectively research possible instances where natural processes may be falsified.None have yet been found but scientists continue to retain open minds because open minds are necessary for scientific endeavours.

A free floating structure such as "bone" would serve no purpose unless all of its necessary connective structures are also a consideration in its formation and development.

But the cartilaginous bones of a young animal
are better than no bones at all Similarly, my old osteoporosis bones are better than no bones at all.
Then you may as well say that bones are no use unless they are attached to joints that can move in specific ways, and joint are no use unless they can be levered by muscles and muscles are no use unless they are worked by motor neurons and so on into infinity of existence itself.But in actual fact there are useless structures in existence which may have been of use at one time but are now vestigial, or have been adapted by learning to an alternative use. Thus, bats use their wings during daylight hours as wraps against the cold.

Bats' wings are multipurpose but bats' wings nor the bones of an Olympic athlete are useless against a mighty volcano. There is no purposive design in nature. Or if there were, a skilled human engineer more efficiently moves robots around than does nature with its living tissues.

Juice wrote

The flavobacterium is not a new species of bacteria but a strain of an existing bacteria with an inherent ability which did not manifest as a result of the creation of nylon but a pre-exiting innate ability for that strain.

Either the bacteria have an innate ability in which case they did not mutate as petroleum- by- product- eaters but always could eat petroleum by-products, or the bacteria in question mutated.The answer exists and is a matter of fact. There is no argument. The answer is published.

The basic tenet of the Christian myth is that God, as omnipotent, is a deterministic force. Add to this that God has made an exception in the case of human beings to whom he donated Free Will to choose good (himself) or evil.

Therefore Juice is probably arguing from the Christian basis.Free Will doctrine is what allows for human freedom and human responsibility, if you are a Christian. It is more difficult to argue for human freedom and human responisibility, if you are an atheist. Spinoza has effectively done so, and done so in a way that can extend human freedom and responsibility to deterministic science.