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Post by Tara on Sept 6, 2004 8:44:38 GMT -5
I have a question about plants and after going to school for millions of years, I should have known the answer already. My question is, how do plants know when there is sunlight outside? How do they feel it if they have no brain? How do we know the plants do not hurt when we cut their limbs? How do the plants know to fight for sunlight and try to reach for it? (or so it appears to be a fight) What is it about "survival of the fittest?" do the plants know they are playing this game? Is there some kind of.... consciousness going around here?
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Post by Amalcas on Sept 6, 2004 14:40:47 GMT -5
They may have a basic consciousness, yet they would not be even self aware, just able to adapt to certain conditions.
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Post by Starborn_Light on Jan 31, 2005 9:21:14 GMT -5
Do you think trees know when they are being cut down and can they feel it?
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Post by dianaholberg on Jan 31, 2005 9:50:08 GMT -5
How does a magnet know to go toward metal? Does it have consciousness? C'mon y'all... science exists for a reason. It's true that plants have "life", so to speak... and as such are to be respected for that in a way inert materials are not. But there is a clear order to nature. A magnet is less than a plant, which is less than an animal, which is less than a man. (Maybe a review of Genesis is in order ...)
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Post by Tara on Jan 31, 2005 14:48:57 GMT -5
(Maybe a review of Genesis is in order ...) lol I thought you said there was a reason for science. j/k I think it's possible to have faith with science, but I don't think faith will tell us everything about consciousness and DNA. Anyway, a magnet isn't living. But from what I've learned, living things are known to have a consciousness of some sort....right?
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Post by dianaholberg on Jan 31, 2005 15:21:01 GMT -5
Not necessarily. In God's order, consciousness is generally reflected by awareness of one's life, and a desire to protect it (what is often referred to as "survival instinct") and propagate it.
A plant is completely dependent on its surroundings. If it is not getting enough sunlight or water, it doesn't reflect a "survival instinct". It's inclination to lean toward sunlight is no different from a magnet's inclination toward metal -- it's just part of its nature.
Similarly, a plant cannot propagate itself. It is dependent on gravity, wind, insects or other creatures in nature for its reproduction.
(As with all laws, the laws of nature do have exceptions, so we could certainly go off on a tangent with specific plants like the Venus Flytrap. But even that plant has to sit and wait for the fly!)
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Post by littlepea on Jan 31, 2005 16:37:24 GMT -5
but plants breathe (take in carbon dioxide, give off oxygen), feed (can't remember the name of the process, something to do with the green cells in them - also they use water), excrete (that's what leaves are) and reproduce (seeds etc.), magnets are just bits of metal (a mineral) with special properties. i don't think plants have minds, but the cells do have nuclei, and the nucleus is the part of the cell that controls it and tells it what to do - ie. the thing that tells it to produce the green stuff so it can feed, and tells the plant to lean towards the sunlight and produce pollen and all that stuff. i didn't do much biology at school, and what i did do was 6 years ago
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Post by dianaholberg on Jan 31, 2005 17:37:47 GMT -5
Magnets have cells with nuclei too... that's how they "know" what to do. The DNA in the cells determines the nature of the object, plant, animal, man, etc. It's part of God's "natural law".
Magnets are inert objects -- look back and you'll see that I said earlier, they are less than plants.
Another thought to consider is that plants do not have relationships. This too makes plants less than animals.
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Post by Tara on Jan 31, 2005 18:18:13 GMT -5
What would constitute for a relationship between two organisms?
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Post by dianaholberg on Jan 31, 2005 18:22:27 GMT -5
Good question. The relationship I refer to is one that reflects consciousness, meaning an awareness of life.
I'm waiting for you to tell me that your plants perk up when you come home ;D
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Post by Tara on Jan 31, 2005 18:39:41 GMT -5
Magnets had DNA? I thought only living organisms had a nucleus.
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Post by dianaholberg on Jan 31, 2005 22:04:08 GMT -5
Tara, you're right, I think. I was always a poor biology student, and for me it's been many many years.
I should have talked in terms of "structure" rather than DNA.
So let me rephrase... "Magnets have structure too... that's how they "know" what to do. The structure (molecules in a magnet, DNA in the cells) determines the nature of the object, plant, animal, man, etc. It's part of God's "natural law".
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Post by littlepea on Feb 1, 2005 9:19:18 GMT -5
plants are alive, magnets are just bits of metal, but plants aren't animals - isn't that obvious?
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Post by dianaholberg on Feb 1, 2005 9:22:37 GMT -5
LOL littlepea... apparently not!
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Post by Tara on Feb 1, 2005 9:40:16 GMT -5
I said organisms. Do all organism have some sort of feelings? I think this question is a good one. Perhaps a refresher course in biology would be best for quite a few of us huh. lol And it's pathetic because I liked that class.
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