It seems to me that it is the discussion about optimizing versus satisficing.
If Intel builds the computer to do some division, but they found a way to approximate the results because that way the CPU can simulate, I don’t know, a nuclear explosion, it should say so. But in our case, we need God to say that the nerves in the skin are thermometers, the eyes, height measuring tools and so on. The only utility function of organisms that we now for sure is that the code that build them has to make it in the next generation; we can argue about different strategies, but they depend on—sometimes—too many other things.
But in our case, we need God to say that the nerves in the skin are thermometers, the eyes, height measuring tools and so on.
Historically, it has been the other way round. We can recognise, without the hypothesis of God, that legs are good for walking, eyes for seeing, and so on, and these observable facts were taken as proof of the existence of a Designer.
Having dispensed with the Designer, we are left with the problem of explaining why living organisms appear to be made of distinct parts serving clear functions, and how we are able to say that these functions are sometimes performed well and sometimes badly, how we can describe some processes as pathological and some as healthy.
ETA: The answer isn’t “evolution!”, because when we use evolutionary techniques to solve computational problems, the result is typically something that works but we can’t see how. When we look at living organisms we see things that work that we largely can see how. (The brain is a notable exception. Also, protein folding. But a heart is clearly a pump.)
I was arguing that the nerves in the skin are only an approximation of thermometers, likewise the eyes only a poor measure tool. By the way, there are ‘evolutionary’ biases: we perceive a ravine as deeper when we look down onto it and, conversely, from the bottom looking up it doesn’t seem as tall (see also auditory looming). Their function is quite transparent once you think about organisms and not measure tools.
It seems to me that it is the discussion about optimizing versus satisficing.
If Intel builds the computer to do some division, but they found a way to approximate the results because that way the CPU can simulate, I don’t know, a nuclear explosion, it should say so. But in our case, we need God to say that the nerves in the skin are thermometers, the eyes, height measuring tools and so on. The only utility function of organisms that we now for sure is that the code that build them has to make it in the next generation; we can argue about different strategies, but they depend on—sometimes—too many other things.
Historically, it has been the other way round. We can recognise, without the hypothesis of God, that legs are good for walking, eyes for seeing, and so on, and these observable facts were taken as proof of the existence of a Designer.
Having dispensed with the Designer, we are left with the problem of explaining why living organisms appear to be made of distinct parts serving clear functions, and how we are able to say that these functions are sometimes performed well and sometimes badly, how we can describe some processes as pathological and some as healthy.
ETA: The answer isn’t “evolution!”, because when we use evolutionary techniques to solve computational problems, the result is typically something that works but we can’t see how. When we look at living organisms we see things that work that we largely can see how. (The brain is a notable exception. Also, protein folding. But a heart is clearly a pump.)
True.
But is jealousy pathological? Or anger? Or fear?
I was arguing that the nerves in the skin are only an approximation of thermometers, likewise the eyes only a poor measure tool. By the way, there are ‘evolutionary’ biases: we perceive a ravine as deeper when we look down onto it and, conversely, from the bottom looking up it doesn’t seem as tall (see also auditory looming). Their function is quite transparent once you think about organisms and not measure tools.